photo credit: Forsaken Fotos / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0 – cropped

Key Takeaways

• John Chadima is an Iowa-based business owner and former Firehouse Subs franchisee with a focus on community impact.
• His restaurants helped direct customer donations to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
• The foundation is best known for providing life-saving equipment to first responders.
• Donations include rescue boats, ATVs, AEDs, DECON kits, and smoke alarms.
• Local Firehouse Subs franchises have made significant contributions to emergency responders across the U.S.

John Chadima is an Eastern Iowa business owner and Firehouse Subs franchisee whose restaurants have consistently generated more than $1 million in annual sales. Through his portfolio of Firehouse Subs locations, John Chadima has supported community-based public safety efforts by helping direct customer donations to the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Since 2013, his franchises have earned regional recognition while also contributing to initiatives that equip first responders with critical tools.

Before entering the restaurant industry, Chadima built a long career in collegiate athletics administration, including senior leadership roles at the University of Wisconsin. His responsibilities there included oversight of multiple sports programs, facilities, and major capital projects. He holds a degree in physical education and athletic administration from the University of Iowa and maintains food safety certifications relevant to restaurant operations. This background in operational leadership and community engagement aligns with the mission of the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation, which focuses on delivering essential life-saving equipment to emergency response organizations nationwide.

Life-Saving Equipment Supporting First Responders

Firehouse Subs founders Chris and Robin Sorensen established the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. The foundation initially focused its efforts on providing food to survivors and first-responders. It has since expanded its work in areas of disaster relief to support the military, offering scholarships and continuing-education opportunities in addition to public safety education. That said, the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is perhaps best known for providing emergency responders with critical life-saving equipment.

The foundation has supported the nation’s emergency response community with a wide range of lifesaving equipment, including rescue boats. These small vessels, often carried by larger ships, are deployed in coastal areas during emergency situations such as drowning incidents, functioning as lifelines for victims and mobile platforms for responders. The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has donated more than 75 rescue boats throughout the United States.

The organization has also donated all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), which offer motorized off-highway transport. Sometimes referred to as quads or four-wheelers, their durability and versatility help emergency professionals quickly respond to a diversity of off-road accidents as well as emergencies related to natural disasters. The foundation made a notable ATV contribution to the city of St. Augustine in Florida.

Over 4,000 first responders and public safety organizations throughout America have received automated external defibrillator (AED) donations from the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. AEDs are easily operated yet highly sophisticated medical devices that can be the difference between life and death for individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. They are specifically designed to be user-friendly for ordinary bystanders and save some 1,700 lives each year, according to the National Institutes of Health.

The foundation also distributes decontamination (DECON) kits. Firefighters use DECON equipment and specially developed cleaning solutions to remove hazardous chemicals and dangerous contaminants from their equipment and their bodies. DECON kits reduce a firefighter’s risk of developing many health conditions, including cancer. The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has collaborated with fire service leadership in Florida to equip all of the state’s fire apparatuses with these kits, designed to deal with a variety of toxins.

One of the foundation’s most significant contributions involves smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the death rate per 1,000 home fires is 60 percent lower in structures with functioning smoke alarms compared to homes without them. The foundation has partnered with the American Red Cross to help install smoke alarms in over 25,000 homes across the US, in addition to providing fire safety courses.

These are only a few examples of the life-saving equipment donated through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Other contributions include thermal imaging cameras, extrication equipment for vehicle accidents and structural collapses, and arson dogs, better known as K9s. Furthermore, various Firehouse Subs locations make their own contributions to local emergency responders. For example, the Firehouse Subs locations in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, Iowa, donated upwards of $400,000 in life-saving equipment to local Eastern Iowa first responders between 2012 and 2025.

FAQs

Who is John Chadima?

John Chadima is an Iowa-based business owner and former Firehouse Subs franchisee. He supported public safety initiatives through customer-driven donations.

What is the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation?

The foundation was established in 2005 following Hurricane Katrina. It provides equipment, training, and resources to first responders nationwide.

What types of equipment does the foundation donate?

Donations include rescue boats, ATVs, AEDs, DECON kits, smoke alarms, and other emergency tools. These items support both daily response and disaster situations.

How do Firehouse Subs franchises contribute?

Franchises raise funds through customer donations at checkout. These funds are then allocated to public safety organizations.

Why is this equipment important for first responders?

Life-saving equipment improves response speed, safety, and survival outcomes. Many donations directly reduce injury and death risks during emergencies.

About John Chadima

John Chadima is an Iowa-based business owner and former Firehouse Subs franchisee who supported public safety initiatives through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. His restaurants in Eastern Iowa consistently exceeded $1 million in annual sales while directing customer donations toward emergency response equipment for local agencies. Chadima previously held senior athletic administration roles at the University of Wisconsin and holds a degree in physical education and athletic administration from the University of Iowa.