Huge grant funds air packs for area fire departments

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BREATH OF FRESH AIR–Eight local fire departments will share in a load of nearly $700,000 worth of new self contained breathing apparatuses. A federal FEMA grant paid for the equipment. Baraga Fire Department was the grant host for a total of eight departments. Chief Jeff Mayo displays an old yellow air pack and the new state-of-the-art Scott equipment.

by Barry Drue

It took three years and three separate, complex grant applications but a consortium of area fire departments finally has a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant for $677,738 for new self contained breathing aparatuses, commonly known as air packs. Baraga Fire Department served as the host department. Through Chief Jeff Mayo the department teamed up with L’Anse Fire Department and other smaller area departments to seek the grant regionally. “Baraga, L’Anse, Aura, Covington, Duncan Township, Pelkie, Keweenaw Bay and Tamarack City (Dollar Bay area) departments participated. We did it regionally because we had better odds. The grant is based on the number of calls we get,” Mayo said. To read more, subscribe to the L’Anse Sentinel online, or buy a print copy at our local retailers.