Westport Fire Receives Grant For Personal Escape Systems: FD

WESTPORT, CT — On Friday, the Westport Fire Department was awarded $28,814 in federal funding to purchase and outfit firefighters with personal escape systems.

According to a news release, a personal escape system is an essential component of a firefighter’s personal protective gear. It consists of an anchoring hook, a descent device, life safety rope or webbing, a carabiner and a storage/deployment bag.

"These essential pieces of equipment become integrated into a firefighter’s gear by connecting to a harness worn in the protective bunker pants," Assistant Chief Brian Meadows said in a release. "The equipment purchased with this grant will provide our firefighters with a rapid and effective means of egress should they become trapped by fire and need to bail out of a window. Additionally, it can be used to lower a victim to safety."

Meadows said the department's firefighters were issued a length of rope and a carabiner for this purpose for the last twenty years, which has proven to be an unrealistic option during an emergency.

"Tragically, numerous firefighters have been killed when forced to jump from a window without wearing a personal escape system," Meadows said. "The Westport Fire Department recognized the importance of outfitting its firefighters with a personal escape system."

According to Meadows, a group of firefighters evaluated and wore various manufacturers systems over the course of two years to determine the best option available. Once a decision was reached, funding opportunities were researched.

Thanks to the 2017 Federal Assistance to Firefighters Grant, the Westport Fire Department will receive $28,814 required for this purchase.

Meadows said part of the grant money will provide training over the next few months on the new NFPA 1983, 2017 edition, certified personal escape systems.

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