New turnout gear for volunteer firefighters will be coming to five Collier-area departments.
The Presto Volunteer Fire Department was awarded just more than $330,000 in federal Assistance to Firefighters grant funding.
“The award is for a regional (assistance to firefighters) grant to five departments, that our department is the host for,” said Daniel P. Wauthier, Presto’s chief. “This grant will provide a total of 55 complete sets of turnout gear to the participating departments.”
Those departments are North Fayette, Oak Ridge, Rennerdale, Sturgeon and Presto, Wauthier said.
Turnout gear is specialized, multilayered personal protective equipment that shields firefighters from extreme heat, flames, chemicals and hazards.
The chief said national standards require all turnout gear to be replaced 10 years after it was manufactured, regardless of condition.
“This grant will aid the participating departments in meeting this standard,” Wauthier said.
