SALAMANCA — After several months of research and preparations, members of the Salamanca Fire Department will soon have some new air-pack equipment when fighting fires.
The Common Council on Oct. 11 approved the purchase of 13 self-contained breathing apparatus units for $93,935 from Churchville Fire Equipment.
“We’re going from 18 breathing apparatus down to 13,” said Fire Chief Nicholas Bocharski.
Included with the purchase are 10 MSA G1 SCBA units, three SCBA units with integrated thermal imaging cameras, 26 cylinders with quick connect, 20 facepieces with cloth bags, one bank charger, three rechargeable batteries and one station kit for filling bottles.
The bid for the equipment from Churchville Fire Equipment also included an RIT Pack option for an additional $4,859.29.
IN OTHER NEWS, the council approved the submission of a fire department grant through the New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services for $10,000 toward the purchase of turnout gear.
Salamanca Mayor Michael Smith said state Sen. Catharine Young, R-Olean, reached out to the city to inform them of the grant and recommended they apply.
“So we did, and we can win $10,000 toward purchasing badly needed turnout gear,” he said.
Bocharski said Young had previously contacted the city about the grant for turnout gear several years ago.
“She’s been really good to our department,” he added.
Council member Michael Lonto, R-Ward 3, it’s important the department have two sets of gear because carcinogens from fires remain in the equipment, and if firefighters have to wear the same turnout gear to every fire, they’re chances of developing cancer dramatically increases.
“That’s getting to be a very high form a cancer that the firemen are getting. They’ve gone up over 10 percent,” he said.
Bocharski said firefighters are two-to-three times more likely to get cancer than the average citizen. He said the new turnout gear would have some barriers for those carcinogens.
“Our bunker gear is almost 10 years old,” he explained. “It expires in 10 years, and we’re in year eight and some of them are already failing the yearly tests. So this grant came at the right time to help us out.”
ALSO OF NOTE, Smith said the demolition of the Torge Building at the north corner of Main and River streets is scheduled to begin Oct. 23.
“They hope to have it completely flattened and taken care of by the end of that week,” he said. “A big thank you from our end to (property owner) Ross John who didn’t have to do that but did.”
(Contact reporter Kellen Quigley at kquigleysp@gmail.com.)
