FRISCO ” Lake Dillon Fire Authority (LDFA) recently secured $118,731 in grant money to purchase updated wildfire gear, extrication equipment and breathing packs.

The Department of Homeland Security awarded LDFA $102,000 as part of its Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The grant will pay for 23 new self contained breathing apparatus packs and will go toward refurbishing 49 current packs.

The new packs include updated safety features that address bio-hazard threats, such as connections for buddy breathing, similar to those of underwater tanks, and upgrades to the head’s up display.

The need for the new gear came with the recent consolidation of Lake Dillon and Snake River Fire Districts when it was discovered that firefighters were using two different types of breathing packs, both of which were outdated.

Some of the existing packs that are in better condition will now be donated to the Lower Blue Volunteer Fire District.

“The importance of having vital lifesaving equipment cannot be stressed enough,” said Lake Dillon Fire Authority Chief Dave Parmley. “With today’s economy and the highly competitive process in getting these grants, we were very excited that the Department of Homeland Security recognized our needs.”

The equipment will be purchased later this fall.

The grant required Lake Dillon Fire to match 10 percent, which was done out of the department’s contingency fund.

Lake Dillon Fire Authority was also one of two recipients in the northwest Colorado area to receive an EMS grant from the State of Colorado. The $12,487 grant will be used to purchase heavy duty extrication equipment, which includes airbags, hydraulic spreaders and cutters, and air shoring for trench building collapse for use in confined space rescue.

“We currently do not have the necessary equipment for certain types of rescues. We operate with outdated medium duty extrication tools,” said Lake Dillon Capt. Joe Hegenderfer, who wrote the grant. “This upgrade to heavy duty equipment will help us meet the growing demand of emergency calls that require this type of equipment.”

A third grant in the amount of $4,244 was awarded from the Colorado State Forest Service for the purchase of chainsaws, safety shelters, fire line packs and safety handbooks. The fire department’s current shelters were outdated in accordance with the U.S. Forest Service recently changed safety regulations. The equipment has already been purchased and was put to good use during a summer that brought many local wildfires, including last week’s Ophir Mountain fire.