KENT- State Senator Peter Harckham stopped by Kent Fire Department headquarters in western Kent Friday to check out portable breathing equipment that was recently purchased with a $100,000 state Senate grant secured by the Putnam lawmaker.
The 20 new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus were purchased with funding from the state’s Community Resiliency, Economic Sustainability, and Technology program.
A self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is personal protective equipment that provides a portable supply of breathable air from a compressed air cylinder, allowing users to operate in hazardous, oxygen-deficient, or toxic environments.
The main components are a face mask, a high-pressure air cylinder, a carrying frame, and a regulator. SCBAs are essential for firefighters and industrial workers.
Harckham said the new apparatus will provide “critical protection for the firefighters who work tirelessly to protect all of us. I will do all that I can to support our brave, hard-working first responders, many of whom are volunteers sacrificing themselves to serve our community and running toward danger so that lives can be saved.”
Kent Fire Commissioner Barry Sanel thanked the senator on behalf of the 40 member department that answered some 350 alarms this year: “The new state-of-the-art SCBA breathing equipment will significantly enhance firefighter safety during fire incidents and other hazardous situations. This investment replaces equipment that is more than 15 years old and at risk of falling out of compliance with state regulations. We extend our sincere thanks to Senator Harckham for securing the funding that made this critical upgrade possible.”
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