The Kell Fire Protection District has received a $26,000 Office of State Fire Marshal Small Equipment Grant.
The funds will allow the purchase of a breathing air compressor to fill self-contained breathing apparatus bottles. The district currently has a cascade unit that allows them to fill the SCBA bottles from air that has already been compressed in larger bottles to transfer to bottles on the SCBA’s themselves. Currently, Kell relies on Salem, Centralia, or Mt. Vernon Fire Departments to do this. The grant funds will allow the department to do this themselves, saving time and money to run back and forth and relying on others to fill the bottles.
Assistant Chief Jason Franke says the annual small equipment grant is a big help to small departments like Kell and they truly appreciate the funds.
