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JoVonne and Jerry Fitzgerald |
What started as an experiment in rural economic development in 1985 has gradually
grown into one of Huerfano County’s largest private employers. Quest Enterprises,
Inc., with a 40-45 member workforce, manufactures protective clothing for firefighting
in the old Walsenburg Mercantile building at 408 Russell. The owners, Jerry and
JoVonne Fitzgerald, purchased and relocated a small Denver-based company, Mountain
View Manufacturing, whose primary product was industrial rain wear. Recognizing
the potential for growth in structural firefighting clothing, the Fitzgeralds focused
on that product. Today, this specialized safety clothing, also known as “turnouts”
marketed as Quest™, is the only product designed, cut, sewn, and shipped from the
local factory. |
| The gear protects many fire service personnel in Colorado, but the
majority of Quest™ turnouts will end up in fire departments in other states. Over
twenty-five fire equipment companies make up their distribution network. Among the
large fire departments across the U.S. and around the globe whose “turnouts” were
“made in Walsenburg” are: Birmingham, Little Rock, Denver, Savannah, Minneapolis,
Kansas City, Tulsa, Salem, Providence, Austin, Taiwan, and Peru. |
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Mila Keith |
Jack Martinez |
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| The minimum requirements
for structural firefighting clothing were first developed by the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) at the time Quest Enterprises came on the scene. In the two decades
since, this NFPA “standard” became more stringent, requiring 3rd party certification
of products. Quest™ garments are tested and certified by Underwriters Labs (UL).
In 2000, the company’s quality management system became perhaps the first in southern
Colorado to be registered under the International Standards Organization (ISO) 9001
standard. Another first claimed by Quest Enterprises was the adoption of a group
health insurance plan combined with a Health Savings Account. A portion of the approximately
$500 per month for benefits goes into a tax-free account owned by individual employees
to be used for medical expenses or retirement.
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Quest Enterprises, Inc.
408 Russell
Walsenburg, CO 81089
(719) 738-2345
www.questhq.com
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