The new device will allow teams of firefighters to take turns hooking into the fire house, requesting that those handling the water supply toggle instead to air for their emptying air tanks. Once the trapped firefighters have enough to breathe, they can ask to toggle back to water to fight the blaze and await rescue.

“(They) can actually tie into the hose line and breathe from the hose line, (which) pressurizes with air,” Watson said. The device can deliver as much as 100 pounds of air to firefighters’ 22.6-pound tanks, he said.

Watson saw the equipment at a firefighters’ conference last year and was immediately intrigued. Now, he has the money to install it on three trucks.

Fire department personnel said they will use the funds to install radio equipment and to purchase additional tools for their new pumper/tanker fire engine.

The department’s new tanker truck arrived at the fire department just a couple months ago, on March 21.

St. Paul Chief Garett Debaun commented on how they were able to make the purchase of approximately $225,000, noting that not only did the department put back some money, they were assisted by their town and surrounding communities.