The Washington Fire Department was awarded funds from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant in September in the amount of $183,190.47.  Unfortunately, this will not fund the entire project. The remaining and matching funds will come from the 2022 Go Bond issue. “Our SCBA’s are what we use for breathing inside a structure fire, and we have 27 of them currently, as you see. A lot of them are nearing expiration.  Currently, our bottles allow for 30 minutes of air inside of a structure fire; the new ones will allow for 45 minutes. They are more upgraded, better suited for us, and we are one of the last departments in the county to get the upgraded bottles. Another highlight is the masks. Currently, we just keep masks on our fire trucks, and we share them or clean them. This grant will allow us to purchase masks for everybody. They’ll be fitted to their face; they’ll carry it with them. It will stay with their gear in their gear lockers out here, and it will be their personal mask. The City Council approved a payment of $37,709.53 to secure the masks for the Fire Department.