The department used federal grant money to buy new gear, including several self-contained breathing apparatuses.
NOLENSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Middle Tennessee fire department has gotten new, lifesaving tools meant to better protect their firefighters.
Nolensville Fire & Rescue received a $17,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant from FEMA — that money went toward new gear.
“They’re a competitive grant process with peer review and technical review back in D.C. at the offices,” fire chief David Windrow said. “There’s about 334 million [dollars]. They break it up between safety needs, training needs and apparatus.”
The department bought eight self-contained breathing apparatuses with masks and 16 air cylinders. The breathing machines help keep firefighters safe and able to do their job.
“We’re trying to fill all our needs and be mission-ready,” Windrow added.
They also have an alarm that notifies the crew if a firefighter hasn’t moved in a few minutes.
Nolensville Fire & Rescue started up three years ago. The department has had to borrow this kind of equipment from neighboring departments.
“It makes us complete,” Windrow told News 2. “We had borrowed some things from the county that we’ve been able to return…they needed their equipment back and we needed to stand on our own two feet, so to speak.”