SILVERTON, Ohio — New equipment can come with a big price tag for fire departments.
That's why Denny Meador, the fire chief for the Deer Park-Silverton Joint Fire District, said his station continuously pursues federal and state grants to help pay for upgrades.
WATCH: See how the fire district is using federal grant money to upgrade equipment and help ease the burden on local taxpayers:
Meador said a lot has changed in his 11 years as fire chief.
“It’s more technology-based stuff, right, so we see a lot more computer-type things instead of old mechanical things," Meador said.
Meador said, while expensive, a lot of that equipment is life-saving.
When his firefighters battle a fire, they often use self-contained breathing apparatus equipment. It's a portable device that supplies clean, breathable air to firefighters.
After 15 years, Meador said their current devices have about run their course.
However, thanks to a grant of more than $200,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Meador said he can purchase new ones.
“It helps us do our job safely and effectively, which in turn provides safety for the community," Meador said.
Since the fire district formed in 1999, it's secured more than $1.1 million in total grant funding. Meador said roughly $780,000 has come from FEMA.
“Anytime that we can get money that is not directly from the taxpayer, it takes the burden off of them and we don’t have to go out for an extra levy right away," Meador said.
Meador said their run volume increases by about 20 to 30 calls a year. He said the grant also helps maintain staffing.
“If the runs keep going up and going up and going up, then you have to look at, you know, ‘is our staffing model adequate enough without burdening our neighboring communities?’" Meador said.
Meador said reducing costs for homeowners and bringing back taxes they've paid to the state and federal government are ways he hopes to help neighbors in his community.
“If we can bring it back to help our citizens out, they at least see a tangible result of their tax money," Meador said.
