Breathing new life into Lebanon's firefighting ability

Scott Air-Pak 75s are state of the art, Lebanon Fire Chief Skip Wood said. (Courtesy photo)

The Lebanon Fire Department beefed up its firefighting ability in a big way on Thursday as selectmen and Lebanon Fire officials agreed to purchase 12 new self-contained breathing apparatus rigs.

A federal grant from FEMA paid for 95 percent of the purchase price of about $52,000.

“These will help keep firefighters safe when they’re fighting fires inside a building,” Lebanon Fire Chief Skip Wood today.

Wood said firefighters often use them in car fire incidents as well.

Fire Tech and Safety of New England, one of three bidders for the equipment purchase, has been awarded the contract. Fire Tech was the lowest bidder of the three, Wood said.

The Scott Air-Pak 75 has many modern features, including an angled gauge console with a built-in light that allows firefighters a better view of their remaining air pressure.

 An added safety feature of the gauge is that it doesn't rely on electronics for power because it is mechanical.

The new equipment also gives a rescuer easy access to a downed firefighter’s air pack harness allowing them to quickly drag them to safety if necessary.