According to a report from 9News, a record-breaking season of wildfire destruction in Colorado has opened many peoples’ eyes to the fact that many of the state’s firefighters don’t have the gear they need to move forward.
This includes gear that doesn’t fit properly–their boots that are too small, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) doesn’t properly protect crews from carcinogens.
This issue has been years in the making. Nearly 80 percent of Colorado firefighters are volunteer, many of them residing outside the Denver metro area. Many fire departments, especially smaller or volunteer, cannot afford the proper life-saving equipment.
Colorado Fire Commission Administrator Lisa Pine expressed worry about ill-fitting masks that would not be able protect members from leaks that could introduce toxic and super-heated gases into their lungs, saying that the fire service has not done a good enough job indicating what is needed.
Some departments are seeking grants and even conducting bake sales and chili cook-offs to fundraise for needed gear, while indivisual members have even purchased their gear with their own money. The state does offers grants, but the amount of money available fluctuates each year, depending on the budget, and can fall short of what is needed.
Despite donning improperly-fitting gear, fire crews still responded to the Marshall, East Troublesome, and Grizzly Creek Fires, an impressive feat considering most of the responders were volunteers.
One other aspect of this issue is that many fire departments are funded locally, but when a fire happens, they respond from all over the state. So, these agencies are looked at like a state asset.
Research shows the health risks firefighters take, such as developing cancer, and how wearing proper gear helps stave off potential diseases. Although volunteers are often the first to arrive to many fires, it’s the fires that broke records that finally caught more people’s attention.
Another factor in all of this is that a lot of these departments are locally funded, but when a fire happens, they respond from all over the state. So, these agencies are looked at like a state asset, and now the state is trying to fund them better.
Recently, the Colorado state legislature approved a $5 million grant to help buy gear. That bill is awaiting the signature of Governor Jared Polis (D). Another bill currently under consideration will provide more long-term funding for the same issue.
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