Six fire departments in Livingston and Crittenden Counties partner for equipment grant

Six fire departments in Livingston and Crittenden Counties have partnered to receive a grant of over $850,000 for new equipment.

Salem Fire and Rescue, along with Grand Lakes, Burna, Marion, Crittenden County, and Tolu, joined together to seek the grant to purchase new Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus for firefighters in all those departments.

The $854,000 FEMA grant will allow the departments to buy 85 of the units at a cost of about $10,000 each. The packs will allow firefighters to work in what are described as toxic environments. They can be used in structure or vehicle fires or when chemicals are involved.

In a social media post, Salem Fire and Rescue also noted that the common equipment would make working with the other departments easier, as all would be familiar with the gear. Salem said that they provide automatic mutual aid to all the other departments that are benefiting from the grant.

It was noted that this is the third time in the last several years that this coalition has applied for this grant.


Salem Ladder 30 at an exercise in July. Photo courtesy of the Salem Fire and Rescue Facebook