Eureka Hose, Unity and Holiday Park firefighters score $430K for new air packs
Share this post:
Unity Volunteer Fire Department in Plum is still repaying a loan it took out in 2008 to buy breathing packs for its 25 members.
“Can we afford it? No,” Chief P.J. Mudar said. “Is it something we have to do? Yes.”
The worst part is that before they’re even paid off, Mudar said the self-contained breathing apparatus units will need to be replaced.
The chief is celebrating a $430,000 grant awarded to his department to be shared with Eureka Hose in Tarentum and Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department, also in Plum.
The cooperative award is through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program that was implemented after 9/11. The competitive grant helps departments to upgrade equipment or participate in training.
The three departments had to agree on what the money would be used for before applying, and they all chose new breathing units.
“It’s a big windfall,” Eureka Assistant Chief Brad James said.
“There’s no way we’d be able to afford to replace ours without this money. We couldn’t even take a loan for them because of other priorities.”
Eureka is expected to get up to $140,000 to replace about 15 units.
When James started with the department decades ago, the units cost about $2,000 each.
Now, they are $7,000 a piece.
“Ours are 20 to 25 years old,” he said. “They’re antiquated. We get them tested and they’re still OK to use, but we need new ones.”
James said the units ideally should be replaced every 10 to 15 years.
Holiday Park’s chief, James Sims, said the grant is a huge relief.
“Our packs are from 2013, and they’re obsolete,” he said. “They’re no longer selling them.”
Despite a wait time of several months, Sims said the department will be fine until they are delivered. Its breathing packs were tested and certified for the remainder of the year.
“Still, we’re at the point where we were going to have to do something,” he said. “When one of ours breaks, we can’t even get them fixed.”
Mudar, chief for two years, said the equipment will be upgraded to the most current technology and safety standards.
“Words can’t begin to describe the saving grace that this grant is,” he said.
“For 25 new SCBA, we’re looking at $175,000 that the department would have to come up with on its own.”