The Brookfield Fire Department has purchased all new self-contained breathing units for its firefighters, courtesy of a federal grant for approximately $80,000. The grant application, written by Firefighter Jon Hultman with the aide of grant writer Barry Cannizzo, was the BFD’s third attempt at getting the grant.
“We’re really grateful it was awarded,” said Brookfield Fire Chief Charles LaGreco. “We had been trying to get it for three years in a row.”
According to LaGreco, the fire department purchased 18 of the breathing units. The old units were 15 years old, LaGreco said, and had “reached the age limit where they cannot be utilized due to obsolescence and safety requirements.”
The department purchased the units from a company called Air One Equipment, a Schaumburg-based company that supplies fire and industrial emergency breathing equipment.
“The new units have already been utilized in both training and in a few incidents where there has been smoke present,” LaGreco said.
