Last week it was announced a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant was awarded to five area fire companies to provide firefighters with state of the art respirator protection.
The grant was announced at the Bristol Borough Council meeting by Mayor Joseph Saxton last week.
Fire companies that were awarded are Bristol Consolidated Fire Company – Station 50, Bristol Fire Company – Station 51, Cornwellls Fire Company #1 – Station 16, Newportville Fire Company – Station 12, and Third District Fire Company – Station 14 who sponsored and submitted the grant, officials said.
The funding comes from the regional FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG).
“The grant will provide the firefighters with state of the art respirator protection. Self contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) are one of the most critical parts of firefighter personal protective equipment. This equipment provides respiratory protection, allowing firefighters to enter a hazardous atmosphere without their respiratory systems being exposed to carcinogens and other hazardous chemicals during a fire or hazardous material incident. By providing safe breathing air, it also allows firefighters to enter areas where there maybe an oxygen deficiency,” said Bristol Borough Fire Chief Herb Slack.
Credit: Submitted
The SCBAs being replaced are 15 years old. One of the critical parts of the SCBA are the air cylinders which store the breathing air. These cylinders have a service life of 15 years, after which they must be replaced. Most of the cylinders being replaced by the grant have reached the end of their service life or will in the very near future, Slack
said.
Third District Fire Chief Howard McGoldrick said the grant will allow firefighters, with new SCBA’s
to work in toxic and hazardous atmospheres as they provide fire protection to communities they serve. The chief said he wanted
The number of SCBA is limited by FEMA to one per seat on a piece of fire apparatus. The list price for one SCBA with a mask and a spare cylinder is approximately $7800. In addition, the grant will allow each firefighter to be issued their own face mask, so firefighters will not have to share facemask. Cost of one face mask is $800. On average one piece of fire apparatus has at least six SCBA, a total of $46,800 per apparatus, Slack explained. .
The total amount of the grant from the Federal government is $638,545 (90%). The share of the five fire companies (10%) is $63,854. Exact share cost for each fire company is based on the specific number of SCBA and masks ordered. The overall projected cost of the grant project is $702,400, officials said.
Mcgoldrick thanked Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick for his help in securing the federal grant.
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