City Council discussed a resolution looking at the purchase of 32 self contained breathing apparatuses for the fire department during Monday’s work session. Screenshot courtesy of the City of Jamestown’s website

The Jamestown fire department is looking for the City Council to approve the purchase of 32 self-contained breathing apparatuses.

During Monday’s council work session, Deputy Fire Chief Matthew Coon discussed the resolution brought first before the Public Safety committee and then the rest of the council, which is looking to purchase the equipment from Firematic Supply Company Inc. for a total amount not to exceed $329,944.22.

“We’ve used their equipment for self contained breathing apparatuses for over 40 years,” Coon said. “We did form a committee last year once the grant funds were awarded to do some research and landed where we feel the MSA is still appropriate for us.”

Coon noted that the department is looking for fewer air packs than it has purchased in the past due to not outfitting as much frontline equipment as they once did. This purchase will allow for a new air pack to be in position with each of the fire fighting apparatuses that the department has.

“Each air pack comes with two air cylinders, two bottles, and they’re running a special right now where we’ll be getting additional bottles that will be put in with them as well,” Coon said.

Each air pack also comes with its own face piece that is fitted to each firefighter’s face. The FY 2023 Assistance to Firefighters grant that is paying for the self-contained breathing apparatus purchase will allow for additional face piece purchases as well, letting each member of the fire department have their own.

Coon said air packs have a 15-year lifespan and the current packs the department has will be outdated in December 2026.

“So this grant is very timely for us, with this purchase if council approves it, will take us all the way to 2040,” Coon said.