Westfield Voluntrer Fire Dept. receives $211,000 FEMA grant

MIDDLETOWN » A $210,980 FEMA grant will help supply the firefighters of the Westfield Volunteer Fire Department with the latest self-contained breathing apparatus and a new air compressor.

The department, and its oversight body, the Westfield Fire District, applied for the money last November, according to a press release. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant funds will be used to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus and a breathing air compressor/cascade fill station. The new equipment will replace equipment bought in 2004 and a 25-year-old compressor no longer supported by the manufacturer.

The new SCBA air packs, bottles and face masks will replace the department’s aging inventory that will soon be out of National Fire Protection Agency compliance standards, the release said.

The federal share of the grant is $191,800, with a 10-percent match from the fire district — $19,180.

“Many mandated changes and updates have been made over the last 13 years to these units, making this purchase critical for firefighter safety and required to maintain compliance with the NFPA,” Westfield Fire District Chief Bill Balch said in a prepared statement.

This will cover the replacement of 26 breathing apparatus and a new air compressor. The remaining 12 pieces of equipment will also be replaced with district funds.

“Being able to purchase this necessary equipment will enhance our firefighters’ safety and give our department the necessary means to better protect our community without putting an even higher tax burden on them,” Balch said.

FILE PHOTO