Watertown Fire Dept. Uses FEMA Grant For New Air Bottle Filler

WATERTOWN, MA — The Watertown Fire Department is taking a breath of fresh air, literally, with its new compressor air bottle fill station. The department used the funds it was awarded from the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant to buy a new filling station.

A compressor air bottle fill station fills firefighters' oxygen tanks with clean, compressed air that is ready for use in the field, should they need. The tanks are a vital piece of battling fires for crews and can make a crucial difference in day-to-day work.

The department bought a new Bauer compressor air bottle fill station to replace the aging and failing model.

“This machine has the technology to help us become fully compliant with the NFPA’s standard on air bottle filling,” the department said in a Facebook post.

The goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire-related hazards by offering funding to buy equipment and resources.