Smithville Fire Department utilizing a $79,000 state grant to replace aging firefighting equipment while reducing the cost to local taxpayers.
Smithville Fire Department Fire Chief Charles Parker said the funding was distributed through the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office. Parker said purchases included large-diameter hose for one of the department’s fire trucks, several new nozzles and air packs firefighters use when entering hazardous environments.
“We used that money to buy more equipment, update equipment,” Parker said. “A lot of our equipment runs out over a certain period of time, it wears out. So we bought some new hoses and the air packs and just different equipment that we did.”
Parker said firefighting equipment carries different service lives, with turnout gear required to be replaced at least every 10 years.
“Well, there’s always needs, just like your own household,” Parker said. “There’s always things that needs to be fixed, repaired, replaced. The apparatus that we you know we operate out of, those those have to be replaced on a regular cycle. And unfortunately they have gone up tremendously in the past few years. Several several hundred thousand dollars increase. So that’s always a need.”
The department also evaluates newer technology that could improve firefighter safety and emergency response.
“Anything in this rescue or fire business is when you put those words to it makes it extremely expensive,” Parker said. “So there’s always something that needs replacing or repairing or anything from equipment to the gears that the firefighters wear. So there’s always a need just like at any household. You stuff wears out and you gotta replace it and gotta buy new stuff.”
Rather than face the expense of replacing equipment for all 20 members simultaneously, Parker said the department staggers purchases across multiple budget years.
“We’ve got them kind of on a cycle right now so they go out at different times so we don’t have to buy 20 20 packs all at one time,” Parker said. “We do them over a period of two or three four-year period, so. Makes it a little bit more budget friendly I guess when we can count on replacing a few at a time.”
Parker said another grant cycle is expected to open in December, and the department plans to seek additional funding for future equipment needs.
Smithville received the money earlier this year as part of a statewide allocation involving 343 fire departments.