A local fire department has received upgraded safety equipment. The Halfmoon-Waterford Fire Department was awarded around $300,000 in federal funding to buy new self-contained breathing apparatuses, also known as air packs.
The new equipment has an alarm that makes it easier for firefighters to find someone who may have been hurt while responding to an emergency. They also have new masks, which are easier to see through.
Asst. Fire Chief Chris Putnam said the new equipment has both physical and mental benefits for firefighters.
“Being able to be confident that the pack that you’ve got on your back, that it’s giving you the air that you’re breathing when you’re going into that building, to know that that’s reliable, that you’re as safe as you can be while you’re doing your job is really important,” he said.