The Springfield Fire Department will be able to accept a FEMA grant for safety equipment. Springfield City Council unanimously approved a bill Monday, agreeing to pay a ten percent match. The city’s share will be $$63,948 with federal funds totaling $575,538.
The money will be used to pay for 90 SCBA’s (self-contained breathing apparatus), which are needed when firefighters must enter smoke-filled buildings or when responding to chemical spills.
The current equipment’s shelf life expires in 2015, according to assistant fire chief Dave Pennington.