WESTVILLE — The Westville Area Fire Protection District’s air packs are getting an upgrade, one 18 years in the making.
This week the department learned they have been awarded a FEMA Assistance for Firefighters Grant (AFG) for $197,889.56. The department is required to match 5% of the grant money ($9,894.48), bringing the total to $207.784.04. The money has been earmarked for 20 new air packs and one Rapid Intervention Pack.
The department has the funds for the grant match according to Matt Shuey, assistant fire chief.
“We were hopeful that this was going to be coming so we made sure to set back funds,” he said. “Our original request was for $252,000 so we set back 5% of that amount, so the fact that it came in lower means we have that in the bank.
“Our grant was written to purchase air packs and that is what we intend to do. We have a vendor coming in Friday and we have already demoed a few different vendors. We plan to have a purchase executed by the end of the month.”
The department’s current air packs are 18 years old and were also purchased using an AFG. The average service life of an air pack is 15 years, according to Shuey.
“We are starting to see more failures with them, but only during training, have never had one fail during an actual emergency,” he said. “When (the old air packs) do go out of service, we send them into an authorized repair facility to be repaired. This (purchase) is going to bring our air packs up to what today’s standards are.”
With the grant money, the department will purchase 20 complete air packs, which include 20 backpacks, 40 bottles, and 20 masks. Currently, the air packs the department uses will notify them of low air when there is 25% remaining. Shuey said the industry standard is notification at 33% air remaining.
“Our policy with our members is two bottles. After (firefighters use) two bottles, you are done going inside,” he said. “It’s one bottle, then rehab, then go in with a second bottle. That way no one overexerts themselves.
“We try to keep everyone safe on a fire scene including ourselves. So when you hear one of the air packs go off (due to low air), you go in and find them.”
The department will also be purchasing a Rapid Intervention Pack.
“A Rapid Intervention Pack is an air pack that holds an hour of air instead of a 30-minute bottle,” Shuey said. “If there is a low air emergency we can go in with the (Rapid Intervention Pack) and we can dump the entire bottle into their bottle, giving them a lot more air. We can hook up as a Buddy Breather as well.”
Buddy Breathers, Shuey says, is an industry standard.
“(Buddy Breathers) are for if you run into a low air emergency,” he said. “By buying these new air packs, we can help our neighboring mutual aid departments.”
Westville’s current air packs have Buddy Breathers, however they can only hook to air packs owned by the department due to their age. Advancements in equipment now allow firefighters to connect their air packs to another firefighter’s air pack should that person be experiencing a low air emergency, meaning their air tank is running low on air.
“It means I am going to share my air with you,” Shuey added. “There is a hose that comes off the bottom of the air pack and hooks to the bottle from another pack. We are then sharing air.”
The department currently has 23 firefighters serving in volunteer roles. Because of this, not everyone gets issued their own air pack, Shuey said.
“We have three engines each with five packs and all five packs are in the seated positions, except the driver’s seat,” he said. “Then our two (heavy rescue) vehicles each have four packs in total, two in seated positions and two in compartments.”
The final unit will be placed in the department’s Ford Truck.
On Friday, Aug. 23, the department will have a Fish Fry at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 231 North State St., Westville, from 4 to 7 p.m. The cost is $14 for adults and $10 for children aged 12 and under. Dinner includes all-you-can-eat fish, chicken tenders, steak fries, hush puppies, coleslaw, baked beans, potato salad and applesauce. Only cash or checks will be accepted as forms of payment.
“The money from this fundraiser goes to the Fireman Associations to purchase new gloves, hoses, nozzles, and hoods and to fill in where the budget can’t support,” Shuey said.
During the dinner, firefighters will be available to talk about the FEMA award and other new opportunities coming to the department.