Firefighters to get new protective gear

File photo [Marion County Fire Rescue]

Every Marion County firefighter will now have two sets of bunker gear each, now that the county moved to purchase 170 new sets of equipment.

On Tuesday, the Marion County Commission amended its original contract with the Municipal Equipment Company LLC to spend an additional $604,592 on equipment. The purchase will ensure that each firefighter in Marion County Fire Rescue will have two sets of bunker gear per person.

Bunker gear is the personal protective equipment used by firefighters in the field. The coat and pants sets are flame and heat-resistant.

Having two sets of bunker gear per person will allow firefighters to change out of their dirtied gear after responding to a fire, minimizing the first responders’ exposure to potentially toxic chemicals and carcinogens.

“Recent studies have shown that all three layers of firefighter turnout gear contain Per and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), a class of fluorinated chemicals known as “forever chemicals,” linked to cancer and other serious health effects. These studies highlight the risks associated with the materials and finishes used in turnout gear even before it is exposed to its first fire,” according to the International Association of Firefighters.

The county will now be spending a total of $1.14 million on bunker gear. The funds come from the Fire Rescue and EMS Fund and the General Fund.

“Not only was there a great savings, but we are now going to be able to provide all of our fire rescue personnel who are out in the field with two sets of bunker gear,” said Commissioner Kathy Bryant.