Weymouth Fire Department has been awarded a federal grant to replace safety equipment
Weymouth, MA – July 9, 2015 – The Weymouth Fire Department has been awarded a federal grant to replace its well-worn breathing apparatus inventory. The grant, awarded by FEMA, will enable the Fire Department to make an important investment in fire service operations and firefighter safety which would otherwise be cost prohibitive.
“I am thrilled by the news of this grant,” says Weymouth’s Mayor, Susan Kay. “Firefighters deserve to be protected by equipment that they can trust and that meets the high standards established by the fire service industry.”
With the federal grant award, the Weymouth Fire Department will replace its complete breathing apparatus inventory which consists of harnesses, air cylinders and personal-alert safety systems (or PASS devices) which monitor air levels and alert firefighters when air is low. This gear, collectively referred to as a self-contained breathing apparatus, is what enables firefighters to endure extreme heat and breathe safely in atmospheres that pose an immediate danger to their lives and long-term health.
“This equipment is critical to firefighter safety,” says Weymouth’s Fire Chief Keith Stark. “It protects our members from going in too deep or staying in a hazardous environment for too long. Good air management make firefighters more efficient; helps us lower the risk of a down member; and make us more effective at rescuing victims and reducing property loss.”
The Fire Department’s current SCBA inventory dates back 10 years; but in the past three years alone, firefighters have donned the SCBA gear 2,625 times (or almost 900 per year) during responses to structural fires, vehicles fires and hazardous-material incidents. The packs become more and more contaminated with each year, and they now require the regular repair or replacement of parts – especially exposed parts like hoses and wires. Many of the pack’s low-air alert systems have also experienced malfunctions during safety testing in the past year. Because warranties have expired on all packs, the Department has found itself absorbing all costs associated with the materials and personnel time needed for repairs.
“Since purchasing the packs ten years ago, new materials and new construction methods have made SCBAs stronger, lighter and more capable than they ever were before,” explains Chief Stark. “The newest editions hold the promise of better durability and trust.”
The federal grant of $265,237 was awarded under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program for federal fiscal year 2014. The AFG program provides federal money directly to local fire departments to help address a wide variety of equipment, training and other firefighter-related needs. Weymouth last received an AFG award in fiscal year 2013. This is one of many grants that the Town of Weymouth’s Grant Writer, Nicholas Bulens, has secured.