Warren Fire Dept. gets federal grant

Staff report

WARREN

The Warren Fire Department has received a $214,020 federal grant that will allow it to purchase 36 state-of-the-art air tanks and a system to remove exhaust fumes from each of the department’s three fire stations.

Fire Chief Ken Nussle said the largest share of the money coming from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security will go toward the breathing devices — about $168,000.

The devices contain a safety feature that sends an alert to a central location if one of the breathing devices is motionless for 20 seconds, indicating that a firefighter might have become incapacitated.

Each one also contains a global positioning device that can be used to find a firefighter if he becomes lost or disoriented at a fire scene, Nussle said.

The system also tracks the amount of oxygen in each tank from a remote location, another feature designed to protect firefighters.

The city is providing a 10 percent share for the federal money — $21,442.

The remaining $67,000 will be used to purchase exhaust systems that will remove fumes from the diesel engines on the department’s firetrucks.

Pipes that lead outside will be attached to the exhaust systems while the trucks are running at start-up, return to the station and during vehicle testing.

Diesel exhaust-fumes are bad for a person’s health, and most fire departments already have such systems, Nussle noted.

Warren Mayor Michael O’Brien credited U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan of Niles, D-17th, for his work in getting the funding for the city.

“Congressman Ryan has again successfully directed federal funds to fill in the financial gaps experienced by the city of Warren and similar communities in this difficult economic climate,” O’Brien said.