The Paducah Fire Department has new equipment aimed at better protecting firefighters and the workers they rescue underground or in small spaces. The equipment came from a grant program through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation.
Captain Jody Burton would be one of the firefighters to perform this type of rescue. Without the proper equipment that could be a challenge.
Firefighters tested new equipment at an award presentation on Sunday. A 300 foot rope connected to a cart with replaceable air tanks gives firefighters an endless air supply compared to the bulkier tanks that held all of the air supply on their backs.
"There's not as much of a concern of a rescuer not able to get out of a space before his air is exhausted," Burton said.
The fire department received the equipment after applying for a $15,125 grant through the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. The foundation's national board decided the need was there.