Fire Chief Wes Skillman says the Garnett Fire Department worked hard last year to get smoke detectors in homes that didn’t have them, and visited local schools to teach kids about fire safety. They will continue to bring education to the schools and to the community this year. He says they were selected for two grants. One for purchasing two thermal imaging cameras, which aid in firefighting, situational awareness, locating hot spots and assisting with search and rescue. The second grant will allow them to replace all of the self-contained breathing apparatus which are currently near the end of their life cycle. This equipment is vital for firefighters as it allows them to safely be in environments that are immediately dangerous to life and health.
The new equipment should begin arriving sometime in February. The total funds received from these grants was $197,000. Skillman says without grants like these, they wouldn’t be able to purchase new safety equipment. He also heavily thanks the Community of Garnett for their support of the fire department. A big thank you to all firefighters who risk their lives to save ours.
