The Second District VFD&RS has been awarded a Federal Grant from the U.S. Office of Homeland Security “Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program” (AFG) in the amount of $172,285.71.

The funds will be utilized to replace our current self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and related equipment. Firefighters are required to wear numerous items of personal protective equipment. Although all items are important for protection, self-contained breathing apparatus is the most important, as it protects the firefighter’s respiratory system from Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) atmospheres containing superheated air, toxic gases, smoke, and low oxygen atmospheres, all of which are produced by structure fires. Additionally, SCBA protects firefighters to a great degree from incidents that may involve chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear (CBRN) releases, as well as emergencies involving other hazardous materials.

The grant funding will purchase 25 state of the art, NFPA 1981-2007 Edition Scott Air Pak X3 Pro SCBA and associated equipment. The new SCBA will meet both National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) as well as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards for SCBA.

This grant would not have been possible without the meticulous work of our grant writer Mrs. Stephanie Boyd, who started the writing process in January 2020, and submitted the request in March. The grant committee was supported by Mrs. Susanne Malebranche who provided statistical and administrative documentation, Treasurer Mike Scrivener who provided financial data, and Assistant Fire Chief Lyn Henderson and Deputy Chief Robbie Springer who provided their subject matter expertise. We also would like to thank Vickers Consulting for their assistance and guidance on this project.

In closing, the Second District VFD&RS would like to thank our Federal representatives, U.S. Congressman Steney Hoyer, U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, and U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen, who support federal funding for the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program.