Staying safe in the flames: Four rural fire departments upgrade their breathing equipment

BENSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — St. David Fire chief Andrew Krebs feels relieved his crews will now be safer in the middle of emergencies. "We actually have the ability to do more work with more air," he said.

Four fire departments in Cochise County can breathe longer. They each received new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) thanks to funding from a federal grant.

Benson, Pomerene, Mescal J6, and St. David Fire departments received a total of more than $668,000 from FEMA's Assistance to Fire Fighters program.

"Most of the packs that we have in the area are outdated," Benson Fire chief Keith Spangler said. "To get new packs that are current with the new standards, they're really expensive.”

The last time Benson got a new set of masks and tanks was 2001.

Spangler said the departments now have a set of 60 new kits. He also said it made sense for all four departments to apply as a region because they often work together on calls requiring the SCBAs.

The tanks hold more oxygen, which let fire fighters put out flames or stand next to dangerous chemicals for longer periods of time. They also have better technology like having a thermal camera on them, to help fire fighters find victims.

"We can have more people working in the environment without having to stop and figure out a new plan," Spangler said.

This is the fourth time the group has applied for this grant, and their new gear came just in time. Leaders said Benson Fire's old SCBAs could not be certified for safe use after Dec. 16 2024. They also would have had to come up with another way to pay for the expensive equipment.

"We have volunteer fire districts down here, and so our budgets are limited," Krebs said. "These large grants that we can get, helps us better serve our community. We're here to protect you and your home and your family.”

Each department will roll out using the new gear at their own pace. St. David Fire already put the SCBAs in their trucks; Benson Fire will have them in their trucks within the next few weeks once staff are fully trained and comfortable.