GREENFIELD — Firefighters will soon have new, more modern air packs thanks to funding approved by City Council and a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA.
Fire Chief Robert Strahan asked for $33,000 from the city, which he received after the council’s unanimous vote on Wednesday, so he will now purchase air packs and new masks to go with them.
“It will greatly improve the safety of our firefighters,” Strahan said, noting that the cost of $33,000, offset by FEMA’s grant, represents a “tremendous” savings to the city.
Strahan said he is working on trade-in options, so getting the new equipment might end up costing the city even less. The Fire Department will not spend any of the money it doesn’t use on the equipment, but the city’s contribution has to be available in order to get the grant from FEMA.
The Fire Department will buy 27 face masks, two RIT-Paks and 31 Scott Air-Paks with bottles. (A RIT-Pak is a portable air supply made by Scott for use in cases when a firefighter is low on air or runs out of air.)
There was no discussion about the money before City Council took its vote, and no one from the public spoke.
Reach Anita Fritz at 413-772-9591 or afritz@recorder.com.