The Milford Fire Department received $441,000 from the Firefighter Grant (AFG).
AFG is part of an ongoing collaborative effort between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to improve the nation’s response capability to emergencies.
The funding will cover the replacement of the department’s 39 self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and rapid intervention team packs. The SCBA were last replaced in 2011 and have a useful life of approximately 15 years.
“They’ve had a great service life here, but they’ve reached a point where they need to be replaced and brought up to modern standards,” Milford Fire Chief Anthony Fabrizi said.
The SCBA is an air pack that provides oxygen to firefighters when they are called to a fire. The RIT pack provides a secondary source of air to firefighters, along with providing a tool to rescue trapped firefighters.
“Our backpacks are for breathing and surviving,” explained firefighter Chance Wasmer. “I was so excited, I started thinking about what kind of backpacks I was going to get and what new training I was going to get on them,” Wasmer said.
“Police departments have the ability to protect all of us, and when it comes to public safety, there is no room for error,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro.
The North Haven Fire Department received a $75,000 grant and the Middlefield Fire Department received $79,000.