Central County Fire & Rescue firefighters are now able to provide a safer firefighting response thanks to new self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA). SCBA is the technical term for the air tank and mask system firefighters wear while fighting a fire. The funding for the new equipment was made possible through the community’s support of Proposition L in 2016.
“The old SCBAs were more than 15 years old and had passed their useful life,” Assistant Chief Steve Brown says. “This update was necessary to keep our firefighters safe while responding to fires.”
The new Scott Safety AV-3000 HT SCBA system provides the most up-to-date technology which allows firefighters to:
- See video from a thermal imaging camera inside their mask. The camera allows firefighters to see victims, hazards and other items through the smoke and darkness in a fire.
- Use Bluetooth technology to clearly communicate with the command staff outside the fire with Bluetooth technology.
- See how much oxygen they have left in their tank and other vital statistics with a heads-up display in their mask.
“Through the years we have worked to fulfill the goals set forth in the SAFE-T plan, which included providing up-to-date equipment to keep our firefighters and community safe,” Brown says. “This update continues to move us toward completing this community-created plan.”