By Jason E. Silvers
Fort Scott Tribune – November 21, 2013
The Fort Scott Fire Department and other area fire departments could see some upgrades in equipment if a grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency goes through.
During the Tuesday meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission, FSFD Lt. Dave Bruner and FSFD Chief Paul Ballou briefed commissioners on a proposed plan to upgrade equipment and requested permission from the commission to apply for an Assistance to Firefighters grant through FEMA to fund the purchase.
“It’s a highly competitive grant,” Ballou said.
The commission unanimously approved applying for the 95-5 matching grant, which if received, would fund new air packs and tracking systems for the FSFD and other area fire departments. The total cost of the equipment purchase is $450,000, with the city’s portion being 5 percent of that cost, or about $23,000, Bruner said.
Bruner and Ballou said the department received a similar grant to purchase air packs in 2002 and is seeking to upgrade that equipment. Criteria for the grant requires equipment to have gone through at least three cycles and be at least 10 years old.
Bruner said the department’s current equipment meets both of those criteria.
“We would like to apply for a regional request for 64 air packs, which would cover other departments in the county,” he said, adding it would be beneficial for all departments to be able to utilize the same type of air packs.
The new air packs would be integrated into tracking devices that would help firefighters in emergencies such as locating a downed firefighter, Bruner said.
City Manager Dave Martin said he has been informed by Director of Finance Jon Garrison that the city’s portion of the grant would come from the public safety budget.
Be First to Comment