CRR Fire gets FEMA grant for breathing gear

Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue has been awarded a $167,181 grant by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for full replacement of Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA).

This grant money will allow Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue to purchase 26 new SCBAs for the department.

SCBAs provide breathable air for firefighters when they are fighting structure fires and any other time they are exposed to hazardous environments, while also providing protection from respiratory exposures that can lead to a multitude of cancer types.

Each SCBApurchased with this grant money will include a high-pressure 45-minute air bottle, breathing regulator, frame,harness, full face piece, and a spare bottle.

The new SCBAs will replace previously used equipment that was purchased several years ago and is over 15 years old. The new equipment is expected to have a 10-year service life.

“For a department our size, a full replacement of our SCBA’s would not have been possible without help from the AFG,” states Fire Chief Rich Hoffmann.

The AFG Program is overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and provides fire departments and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations with the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and emergency response personnel.