By Art Delaney
Special to the Salisbury Post
LANDIS ó The Landis Fire and Police departments have added new tools to their emergency services arsenal. They are the proud owners of a mobile air unit and an incident support unit.
The mobile air unit boasts a breathing air compressor unit with four large 6,000 psi on-board cylinders as a reserve. The reserve cylinders alone are capable of filling 20-30 breathing apparatus cylinders at the emergency scene.
The compressor would then refill the reserve cylinders or be used to fill the breathing apparatus cylinders directly.
At the present time, the Landis Fire Department is the only fire department in Rowan County with a mobile compressor air unit. This unit was paid for through the Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
In a cost saving measure it was decided to install this compressor air unit on an existing apparatus. The unit is housed at Landis Fire Station No. 1 on East Garden Street.
The Landis Police and Fire departments have added an Incident Support Unit to their fleet.
The unit is mounted on an existing trailer already acquired by the Police Department through another grant. The Landis Police Department will utilize this unit for their DUI check points, accident investigations and crime scene support.
The Landis Fire Department will utilize this unit as a hazardous material response and emergency scene support unit.
The unit carries generators, lights, and hazardous materials spill response equipment such as pads, booms, absorbants, and haz mat suits.
The unit will be upgraded to carry 10+ self contained breathing apparatus in the very near future.
This joint program was paid for through multiple grants and donations. The unit is housed at Landis Fire Station No. 2 on West Rice Street.
During these tough economic times the Landis Police and Fire departments are striving to provide the highest quality service at the lowest cost to our taxpayers. Through the use of grants and donations, and by reusing existing resources, we can achieve that goal.
The public is invited to stop in and see these units.
Art Delaney is a division fire chief of operations with the Landis Fire Department.