Victorinox & firefighters – an old partnership

About 40 years ago, Victorinox formed its own firefighter crew. We’re working with hot steel, therefore fire is a constant danger in our production facility. That’s how our deep connection with all firefighters all around the world has grown.

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Victorinox & firefighters – many things in common

Between fire fighters and Victorinox, bonds have always been deep and abundant. We share a long history in protecting not only our production site but also our valley and we have developed products in close collaboration with these brave people – yet above all we have equal beliefs.

Discover the Victorinox firefighters:

Joint product development

Two products have come out of the close collaboration with the firefighters. Victorinox designed the “Rescue Tool”, an upgraded Swiss Army Knife conceived for firefighters to be used by firefighters. From this day on, an extensive number of fire services around the world adopted the Rescue Tool as part of their equipment. The other “tool” connecting Victorinox and the firefighters is a watch.

Daniel Betschart, the officer from Victorinox’s fire department, says ”Time is the enemy of a firefighter. Everything that can help to bring it under control becomes a firefighter’s friend”. That’s why Victorinox chose a timepiece to symbolize this partnership. A watch, but not any kind of watch: the strongest watch on the market. This watch had to withstand 130 ruthless tests, including falling from a three-story building, withstanding the weight of a fire truck, surviving boiling water and a washing machine as well as being frozen into ice – for example. The special I.N.O.X. firefighter edition was sold out within just a few days.

And the collaboration lives on

But the I.N.O.X. is still available. One that is especially loved by the firefighters: the I.N.O.X. carbon, withstanding 1,260 °C. If you want to buy it in an authentic setting: Visit Victorinox’s Flagship Store in New York. It is located in a disused FDNY fire station. Truly, bonds have been and are deep and abundant.