"These essential pieces of equipment become integrated into a firefighter's gear by connecting to a harness worn in the protective bunker pants," Assistant Chief Brian Meadows said in a release. "The equipment purchased with this grant will provide our firefighters with a rapid and effective means of egress should they become trapped by fire and need to bail out of a window. Additionally, it can be used to lower a victim to safety."  

Meadows said the department's firefighters were issued a length of rope and a carabiner for this purpose for the last twenty years, which has proven to be an unrealistic option during an emergency.