Media Advisory: State Fire Agency Provides Needed Equipment to Rural Departments through Local Firefighter Safety & Disease Prevention Fund
Contact: Caley Pruitt, DFPC Public Information Officer, caley.pruitt@state.co.us
Lakewood, CO- Many fire departments in Colorado do not have the budget to purchase and maintain NFPA compliant personal protective equipment (PPE), leaving departments in PPE that are greater than 10 or 15 years and in some cases greater than 20 years old. This puts our local firefighters at a greater risk of injury. Through HB 22-1194, the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention in Control (DFPC) is helping qualified local and volunteer fire departments cover the costs of equipment.
HB 22-1194 allocated 5 million dollars for the direct distribution of firefighter personal protective equipment (PPE) to include structural and wildland PPE, wildland line packs, fire shelters, and self-contained breathing apparatus to fire agencies throughout Colorado. All PPE ordered through this funding will meet the current NFPA standards.
On October 11, 2022 DFPC will be delivering PPE to West Douglas County Fire Protection District in Sedalia, CO. West Douglas County Fire Protection District is an all volunteer department with 40 members. They provide Fire and EMS services to 50 plus square miles including mutual aid to their neighboring districts. On average, they responded to 240 calls last year.
Media are invited to attend.
Date: Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Time: 11:00am
Location: 4037 Platte Ave Sedalia, CO 80135
Items they are receiving:
- 30 Structural Firefighting Helmets
- 30 Particulate Blocking Hoods
- 30 Sets of Structural Firefighting Bunker Gear
- 30 Pair of Structural Firefighting Boots
- 30 Pair of Structural Firefighting Gloves
- 16 SCBAs (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus)
- 30 Wildland Helmets
- 30 Wildland Shirts
- 30 Wildland Pants
- 30 pair of Wildland Gloves
- 30 pair of Wildland Boots
- 12 Fire Shelters
- 10 Wildland Line Packs