Great news, the BWC/State Fire Marshal has awarded Rittman Fire and Rescue $4,750 for the purchase of a “gear washer/smoke extractor.”

Assuming we would not be awarded the grant, we had put in the Capital Plan for 2021 for the replacement of our current model which is nearing 30 years old and has been costing us around $500 a year to maintain.

The pricing we have received on these units is around $10,000 each and we found a local company to supply this unit for $8,950. Our out of pocket cost will be $4,200 for the $9,000 unit.

Carcinogens are carried in the smoke and particles from a fire which has become a primary focus for our team’s safety. We require our team to clean their gear after every smoke exposure. This has put additional use on the current equipment which has caused the mechanical/maintenance issues.

Shout out to Captain Sam McComas who completed and submitted the grant application. Great job.