The air packs they've been using are more than a decade old. Officials with the department say these new ones are similar to the old packs so the transition should be easy. However, technology helps them communicate better with each other during emergencies.

"When we put the pack on their rated to a certain time that we can use them," said Captain Mark Johnson, Pullman Fire Dept. "The previous ones were rated for 30 minutes these will be 45 minutes. We can Bluetooth our breathing masks to our new radios which improves our communication dramatically."

The department got these new air packs from FEMA through the assistance of a $420,000 firefighters grant.
Crews will start training with the new SCBA's in the coming weeks and the department hopes to have them all in service by sometime in February.