By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
The Salisbury Fire Department will use part of a $241,650 federal grant to employ a tracking system that would help to find fallen firefighters.
The “firefighter finder” is not unlike a fish finder, Salisbury Fire Chief Bob Parnell said Tuesday.
Some 55 self-contained breathing apparatus packs will be fitted with radio transceivers. A firefighter could activate his pack’s signal if he found himself in a dangerous situation and in need of help.
The device also goes into an alarm mode should a firefighter become motionless.
A hand-held finder is used to guide other firefighters to the signal and their injured comrade.
The low frequency of the signal allows the finder to cope with foliage, walls, furniture and other obstacles.
Though it’s impossible to know for sure, the finders may have helped last year in locating firefighters Rick Barkley, Justin Monroe and Vic Isler when they were trapped and separated by the fire at Salisbury Millwork.
Fellow firefighters were able to rescue Barkley but could not find Isler and Monroe in time as fire swept through their section of the plant.
Since the deaths of Isler and Monroe, the Fire Department also has upgraded its portable radios to more rugged, water-resistant models at a cost of more than $100,000. The radios were not part of the recently awarded federal grant.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security awarded the $241,650 Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
The grant required a $26,850 match by the city, bringing the total funds available to $268,500.
Parnell said almost half the funding will go toward 60 new sets of thermal protection turnout gear, including coats, pants, boots, helmets, hoods and more.
Each turnout uniform represents a cost of about $2,000, Parnell said.
Turnout gear is supposed to have a “shelf life” of 10 years. New testing procedures being used on the department’s present gear are showing some gear failing the moisture test, even though they are only six years old, Parnell said.
Funds from the grant also will go toward an additional thermal imaging camera, the retrofitting of Fire Station No. 4 with a diesel exhaust ventilation system and workout equipment for firefighter fitness. Stations 1-3 already have the diesel exhaust systems.
Battalion Chief Chris Kepley wrote the grant application leading to the large federal award.
Salisbury Mayor Susan Kluttz said Tuesday the grant is exciting news for the city and Fire Department in an especially tight budget year.
March 7 will mark a year since the Salisbury Millwork fire. A memorial service honoring Isler and Monroe will be held at 8:45 a.m. March 7 at the Firefighters Memorial, located at 1600 S. Main St.
The public is invited to attend.
The Fire Department also will hold a St. Patrick’s Day 5K and Fun Run March 14 at 8:30 a.m. The run will start and finish at the J.F. Hurley Family YMCA. Early registration is available at ACTIVE.com or at any city fire station.
Participants also can sign up the day of the event, beginning at 7:45 a.m. Proceeds will go toward the restoration of the city’s antique 1941 fire truck.