ST. PAUL - Several local fire departments in central and west central Minnesota received grant funds from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety State Fire Marshal Division to purchase fire gear washers and dryers.
The fire departments in Appleton, Atwater, Benson, Belgrade and Redwood Falls all were awarded funds. In total, 73 state fire departments shared $600,000 in funds.
The mechanical turnout gear washers and dryers will remove carcinogens left on a firefighter's gear after a fire. Exposure to those carcinogens can cause lung damage, chronic bronchitis and cancer.
"Minnesota's firefighters put their lives on the line to save others. There is no reason they should further risk their lives when they return to their fire stations and go home to their families," State Fire Marshal Bruce West said in a news release announcing the grant awards. "This equipment is necessary to ensure the safety of Minnesota firefighters."
The grants are funded through the Minnesota Fire Safety Account. Since 2015, the State Fire Marshal Division has awarded $1.1 million in grants to 145 Minnesota fire departments to purchase gear washers and dryers, which can be too expensive for departments to purchase on their own, the news release said.
