MINOT, N.D. (KXNET) — The Leary Firefighter Foundation is a national organization that gives back to the people who risk their lives every day.

It was started by actor and comedian Denis Leary, star of the Ice Age franchise and of the former show ‘Rescue Me’ on FX.

And now, a North Dakota Fire Department received a grant to maintain the health of their firefighters from his foundation.

With the new Fire Station Number 5 opening up, the Minot Fire Department wanted to look into getting a washing machine for its gear.

So, Battalion Chief Weber took to the internet to find grants and stumbled upon the Leary Firefighter Foundation, the only foundation that funds equipment, vehicles, and technology for firefighters nationwide.

This new washer removes up to 90% of toxins that linger on firefighters’ equipment, reducing the amount of cancer-causing contaminants in equipment.

“It takes the fire gas toxins out of our gear that we would have, the soot, any other contaminants that we would have. Things like that, that we wouldn’t want to put in a normal commercial washing machine,” said Minot Fire Department Battalion Chief, Brent Weber.

Since 2014 the Leary Firefighter Foundation has donated over $2,000,000 to fire departments across the country.