Residents will have the opportunity to support their local first responders with some much-needed refreshment while taking home a free sub next weekend.

On Aug. 7, Firehouse Subs will reinstate its H20 For Heroes initiative, where guests who bring in an unopened 24-pack (or greater) of bottled water of any brand will receive a free medium sub of their choice.

This will be the ninth year Firehouse Subs locations throughout the country collect bottled water for local first responders after having to halt last year’s efforts due to the pandemic.

“With our connections with first responders and the local community, for us to be able to do this, especially in August, which is one of the hottest months of the year, is a great thing,” said Dan Redolphy, franchise owner of Firehouse Subs of Cape Coral and two locations in Fort Myers. “They go right onto the trucks and into the field with the first responders and back into the community.”

It’s always a busy day at Firehouse Subs during the H20 For Heroes event, but even more rewarding for those behind the counter.

“Anything we can do to help the first responders,” Redolphy said. “Whatever we can do to throw a little help to them is a good feeling.”

Water bottles collected benefit local fire and police departments, emergency victims, senior and community centers, and more, to aid those in need of water during the hot summer months when dehydration and other heat-related illnesses are most threatening, said Firehouse Subs officials. Since expanding in 2016, Firehouse Subs, its franchisees and guests have donated more than 4 million bottles of water to public safety departments, emergency victims and senior and community centers — half of which were collected in 2019 alone.

H20 For Heroes started in 2012 when Phoenix-area franchisees Jerry and Windy Griffin thought up a local initiative to encourage bottled water donations at a time when wildfires and overwhelming heat depleted the supplies of several of their local first responder organizations. In 2016, Firehouse Subs expanded the program into a nationwide effort that you see today in Southwest Florida and beyond.

“We enjoy doing H20 for Heroes — it’s a no brainer,” Redolphy added.

A new Firehouse Subs location slated to arrive on the corner of Pine Island Road and Del Prado Boulevard is expected to be open for business before the end of the year.

Firehouse Subs’ current Cape Coral location is at 2612 Santa Barbara Blvd. on the corner of Veterans Parkway.

Limit is one medium sub per person, per case of unopened 24-pack bottled water.

For more information, visit www.firehousesubs.com.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj