ACS Group Sponsors Inaugural Proud To Rescue Charity Poker Tournament
This past Saturday, August 22, 2026, ACS Group traded engineering caps for poker chips in support of our Las Vegas community. We’re a fire protection engineering and life safety consulting firm by day, but the inaugural Proud To Rescue (PTR) Charity Poker Tournament gave us a chance to show up for our neighbors in a different way, at the poker table instead of the job site.
We were honored to help sponsor the event at South Point Hotel & Casino, held in support of the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund, established by IAFF Local 1908 to support its members. The night brought first responders, community members, and local businesses together for an evening of poker, friendly competition, and a shared commitment to giving back.
The Cause
The tournament benefited the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund, a 501(c)(3) organization established by IAFF Local 1908. The fund provides charitable assistance to disabled and retired Local 1908 members, their dependents, and survivors, while also supporting other charitable organizations across Southern Nevada. Each year, the fund also awards scholarships to local youth, helping the next generation pursue their education.
Members of the Clark County Fire Department give countless off-duty hours to raise awareness and funds for causes throughout the Valley, and this tournament was another example of that commitment in action. As Las Vegas fire protection consultants who work closely with local AHJs every day, this cause was an easy one for us to get behind.
The Night
Registration opened at 5:30 PM, and cards were on the table by 6:30 PM. The room filled quickly, with players filing into South Point’s poker room ready to compete for a good cause as much as for the guaranteed $15,000 prize pool.
As the levels ticked up, so did the intensity. Tables thinned out one elimination at a time, but the mood never lost its edge of friendly rivalry, plenty of trash talk, and a shared understanding that everyone in the room was there for the same reason.
Our Seat at the Table
As an event sponsor, we had a seat at the table, literally. Seeing our logo represented at the event was a good reminder of why we love being involved in opportunities like this.
We spent the evening alongside Pat Rafter, President of IAFF Local 1908, among others, talking shop, playing cards, and supporting a cause that touches the same community we work in every day.
Fire protection engineering exists because of the risks first responders face on the ground. Supporting the people and organizations behind that work, like the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund, is a natural extension of what we do.
“I’ve sat through a lot of code hearings in my career, but there’s nothing quite like getting bluffed out of a pot by a local firefighter. It was worth every chip.” — James Taylor, MBA, P.E., CEO | ACS Group
A special thanks to Raymond LeClair, Chairman of the PTR Benevolent Fund, for his work organizing everything.
Fire protection engineering exists because of the risks first responders face on the ground. Supporting the people and organizations behind that work, like the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund, is a natural extension of what we do.
Want to Support the Fund?
The tournament may be over, but the fund’s work continues year-round. Your donation goes directly to the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund, the 501(c)(3) established by IAFF Local 1908, which supports disabled and retired Local 1908 members, their dependents and survivors, and the fund’s scholarship program for local youth.
Contact benevolentfund@local1908.com to show your support.
Thank you to the Proud To Rescue Benevolent Fund and to everyone who sponsored, came out to play, and showed support in the tournament.
Full photo gallery, courtesy of 2026 IAFF Local 1908
