OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) -
The Owensboro Fire Department needs some equipment upgrades and even if the department receives a federal grant, officials say the department will still need financial help from the city.
Andrew Behl has been a firefighter for the Owensboro Fire Department for more than a year.
He has fought several fires while at the department.
"It's a really big adrenaline rush whenever you hear it's a real big structure fire," says Behl. "Whenever you get multiple calls saying it's a structure fire, you kind of get really ampt up and you kind of make sure your equipment is ready to go."
Behl's and the rest of the firefighter's breathing apparatus at the department is becoming outdated and will not meet required standards by next year.
The fire department is applying for $315,000 Federal Grant through the assistance to firefighters grant program to replace all the breathing apparatuses.
"With the new standards, the face piece for the air packs would be at a 500 degree temperature," says Battalion Chief Steve Leonard. "The ones we have right now will degrade at 250 degrees."
The current breathing apparatuses the department uses was last updated more than 10 years ago.
The fire department says upgrading fire equipment and their breathing apparatuses would make fighting a fire a lot safer.
"If you ever see smoke bank down to the floor, you just can't breath it in," says Behl. "Your breathing apparatus is the only thing that is going to keep you from taking 10 steps in and having to come back out."
If the Owensboro Fire Department gets the grant, the city of Owensboro will match 20% of the grant, which is about $63,000.
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