AUBURN, Maine — After receiving funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program, six local fire departments will receive a total of $1,132,922.44 in federal funding to improve firefighter safety.
Sen. Susan Collins signed off on the grant, stating that firefighters "selflessly put their lives on the line to serve their towns and cities."
Portland, Auburn, Kennebunk, Waterville, and Belfast fire departments received grants. Wesley Volunteer Fire Department also received funding.
Each department plans to use the funding differently. Kennebunk Fire and Rescue received $569,978.09 to purchase new firefighter breathing apparatuses and RIT packs. Belfast fire received $310,952.38 to purchase new firefighter breathing apparatuses, RIT Packs, and power lift systems.
Auburn fire was granted $123,513.63 to purchase new firefighting hoses and nozzles. Wesley Volunteer Fire Department will use $52,720 to purchase firefighter turnout gear. Portland Fire Department will use $45,454.54 in grant funding to support its firefighter wellness program
Lastly, Waterville Fire Department was given $30,303.80 to purchase equipment to clean personal protective gear.
Auburn Fire Chief Bob Chase said local fire departments often work with what they have, doing the job without sufficient supply of basic things that they need.
He said Auburn's department will focus on standardizing its equipment, explaining that they have several hoses and nozzles that are made by different manufacturers and that function differently.
Chase said stocking fire engines before heading out to a fire emergency can sometimes feel like rumbling through a sock drawer filled with mismatched socks. Deputy Matthew Fifield agreed.
"When we go to reach into the 'sock drawer' so to speak, we're often finding hoses that are many years old," Fifield said.
Hoses and nozzles made by varying manufacturers operate at different water pressures and have different friction losses. Chase said firefighters have to remember the smallest details about different brands of the same equipment while simultaneously working to respond to emergency situations.
"It adds stress for sure," Chase said. "That operator now needs to remember what pressure they pump this given line at to get maximum results. That could result in us having confusion and not getting the right amount of water to the fire."
Chase said he believes having standard equipment across the board will resolve confusion that having outdated equipment creates.
He also explained that each year, fire departments need to replace equipment that has been damaged, especially hoses and nozzles.
Fire engines carry between 3,000 to 3,500 feet of hose on a truck at any time.
"But we don't even have a full truck's worth of hose in reserve at this point," Chase said, explaining that if the department had to respond to a large fire that was hard to control any time soon, they wouldn't have enough feet of hose to restock a fire engine without having to quickly clean equipment used in a previous run.
Departments are struggling to cover the cost of basic equipment that is vital to the job, Chase said. He explained that equipment can sometimes be hard to update and replace with the limited money departments get through their respective city budgets.
Fifield said that's what makes the grant funding critical for local fire departments across the state.
"It's really important, because otherwise, there's things like hoses and nozzles that keep getting put off," Fifield said.
Chief Chase says the department is looking for the most cost-effective equipment, and they could have new hoses and nozzles within the next six to eight months.