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New equipment upgrades safety, performance
By DAVE CRUZ, News-Topic Staff Writer, dcruz@charter.netThe Valmead Fire Department recently purchased equipment with a $34,020 federal grant that will enable it to fight fires more effectively and safely. Fire Chief Shane Greene said the equipment that was purchased includes an air compressor and a fill station to fill air pack bottles, a gas detector and a thermal imaging camera. The grant was part of the 2003 Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Last year, $750 million was distributed to more than 7,000 local fire departments. The compressor and fill station give Valmead firefighters the capability of filling the bottles on their air packs. Air packs are used when firefighters have to go into smoke-filled interiors to battle structure fires. Before the fire department got the compressor, bottles were filled using the Caldwell County Firefighter's Association compressor truck, Greene said. All 35 firefighters on Valmead's roster have received training on using the compressor. The fire department will still rely on the mobile compressor to refill air bottles at the scene of large fires, the fire chief said. The gas detector detects a variety of toxic and flammable gases, Greene said. It has already been used to check residences for harmful gases such as methane and carbon monoxide. The hand-held instrument also detects the presence of poisonous and flammable gases in confined spaces, alerting them to precautions they'll need to take for their safety. The thermal imaging camera, which has already seen action at several structure fires, has many uses. The camera literally sees heat. It can be used to find fire victims or injured or trapped firefighters in the darkest and smokiest of conditions. It allows firefighters to locate people in a matter of seconds. Greene said another use for the thermal imaging camera is in the detection of hot spots, fires located between walls that can spread and cause a building to start burning again. Using the camera saves on property damage. To find hot spots without the camera means tearing holes in walls, Greene said. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program assists rural, urban and suburban fire departments throughout the U.S. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the program is designed to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, emergency medical service programs and fire prevention and safety programs in local departments. "In this nation, far too many individuals lose their lives or are injured by fire. Among these victims are firefighters, who provide emergency response services to their fellow residents," said U.S. Fire Administrator R. David Paulison. "The nation's firefighters and American home are safer today through this important grant program." Greene said the Valmead Fire Department provides fire protection to approximately 3,000 persons who reside in an area of Caldwell County north of the city limits of Lenoir. Five manufacturing plants and Lower Creek Airport are also in its service area.
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