The Acton Fire Department placed 50 new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) into service recently, the city said in a press release.
Acton Fire also received additional related equipment, including batteries, spare masks, and chargers. Each department member has been assigned his own personally-fitted mask.
The units are 3M Scott X3 Pro SCBA with integrated wireless radio capabilities and built-in PASS (Personal Alert Safety System) devices. These units allow firefighters to communicate with members while being able to breathe clean air during an active fire scene.
The equipment was purchased using approved Town funding. Lt. Robert Smart oversaw the procurement of the new equipment, swapping out the old equipment on all the fire apparatus, recording, cataloging, and labeling each item. He also organized training on the new equipment from the vendor — Fire Tech — for all department members. The Acton Fire Training Division ensured that each shift had the opportunity to train on the new equipment before it was officially placed into service.
“This new equipment allows our members to provide safer and more efficient service to our community members during calls,” said Chief Arnum. “I would like to thank our taxpayers and community members for granting us this much-needed funding. This equipment is used practically on every call we respond to, so having up-to-date and modern tools gives us the ability to provide the highest level of service to the public.”
