Painesville City Awarded FEMA Firefighter Grant

On Friday, September 14 the Painesville City Fire Department, along with the Painesville Township, Fairport Harbor and Mentor-on-the-Lake fire departments, were notified they received a regional grant of $564,546 from FEMA for the purchase of SCBAs (self-contained breathing apparatuses). The much needed FEMA funds will be used to replace aging SCBA in these departments, a necessity for firefighters in structural firefighting.

 

Painesville City Fire Department will receive 23 SCBAs, two rapid intervention team bags (for rescue of firefighters), two pack trackers (for quick and easy location of firefighters) and other minor accessories.

 

Painesville Township Fire Department will receive 32 SCBAs, three rapid intervention team bags, three pack trackers and other minor accessories. Fairport Harbor Fire Department will receive 14 SCBAs, one rapid intervention team bag, one pack tracker and other minor accessories. Mentor-on-the-Lake will receive 28 SCBAs and other minor accessories.

 

Much credit goes to Painesville City Fire Department Executive Captain Tom Hummel who took lead on the initiative and spent many long hours gathering the necessary information for the grant.

 

“Without his dedication to this project, each community would have had to find the funding for the air packs on their own,” said Painesville City Fire Chief Mark Mlachak. “It’s a huge help for all us and we thank him for his dedication.”