Thin Red Line: What is it and how can you show your support?

What is the Thin Red Line?

It could have been a bumper sticker or a flag being flown on somebody's front porch, but chances are, you’ve seen the Thin Red Line flag being displayed somewhere in your day to day life. But what does it mean? The Thin Red Line was created by a volunteer fire station in Apex, North Carolina as a symbol of respect to fallen, injured, and active duty firefighters. The version of the design used most often is a black and white American flag with a single thin red stripe running horizontally through the middle. Each branch of protective services has their own flag that symbolizes respect for that profession. The Thin Blue Line flag is for police officers, Thin Yellow Line is for dispatch, and Thin Green Line is for armed forces.  

Why does Fuse support the Thin Red Line?

If it wasn’t for our fire departments, Fuse Lenses would have never even gotten the chance to  become what it is now. Back in 2011, Fuse’s very first customer was a local firefighter named Carlos Ruiz. He was the neighbor of Fuse's co-founder Brandon. Carlos came to Brandon complaining about his scratched lenses, and after Brandon had replaced the lenses, Carlos went back to his fire station the next day and told all of his coworkers about Fuse. Without Carlos and the rest of his station, there’s no telling where Fuse would be today. Even today, Fuse HQ is located right next to Fire Station #48, so we see first hand all of the hard work these firefighters put in. Our fire department has always been very special to us, and we’re glad to be able to show our appreciation for all they've done, not only for Fuse lenses, but for our community. 

How can I show support for my local firefighters?

If you want to show support for the Thin Red Line and your local firefighters, there are many things you could do! 

1. Proudly displaying the flag

Whether it be in your window, on your car, or anywhere else you want to put it, displaying the Thin Red Line flag is a perfect way to show your support for our firefighters. It may not seem like much, but letting them know you see and care about all they do for us is such an important way of supporting fire departments.

2.  Donate to a department in need of funding

Now more than ever, it’s important to (if possible) donate to your local fire station. The donation doesn’t always have to be money, it could be anything that shows you realize and appreciate all of the hard work being done to keep us safe. This could mean just dropping off baked goods or any other type of sweet treats too!

3. Becoming a volunteer firefighter

A great way to help out your local fire department is to put in a little bit of work yourself. Becoming a volunteer firefighter is actually pretty simple. First, you have to reach out to whichever station you want to volunteer at. You then need to complete the application process and pass a screening. Afterwards, you must complete training to help you learn the necessary skills to become a volunteer firefighter.

4. Educating yourself on fire safety

Another perfect way to show that you appreciate all of the incredibly hard work being done by our fire departments is to give them less of it! Educating yourself on basic fire safety, things like preventing house fires and what to do in case of a fire, could not only save your own life, but it also could make a lot of firefighters jobs much easier. You can learn about basic fire safety from an online course or article, or if you happen to have a friend or family member who's educated on the topic. 

5. Wearing Fuse's Thin Red Line sunglasses

In support of our firefighters, Fuse is dropping a brand new collection dedicated to the Thin Red Line. The collection features a redesign of our bestselling Egmont and Anclote sunglasses. These shades are sleek, stylish and feature a Thin Red Line flag on the inside, with red nose pads and a red inset bolt logo. With proceeds benefiting Firefighters Cancer Support Network, they are the perfect way to show your support for firefighters everywhere. You can find them on our website, or just by clicking the link here. 

 Regardless of how you choose to support firefighters, showing that you care about all they do for us is super important. Firefighters work day and night to make sure our communities are safe and taken care of and Fuse is glad to be able to show our appreciation for all of their hard work.   

Post by: Parker Dill