Residents of the northeastern part of Warren County are getting a significant upgrade in their fire protection.
The Richardsville Volunteer Fire Department, which covers a 126-square-mile area with six fire stations and 41 firefighters, recently received new equipment through a Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
Using the $139,048 grant and a $7,000 match from the fire department, the Richardsville VFD purchased 24 new self-contained breathing apparatus units that include air tanks and masks with the latest technology. The new equipment also includes two masks with built-in thermal imaging and two “pack tracker” devices that will allow for electronic tracking of a firefighter who is incapacitated.