Earlier this year, the City of Hastings Fire Department, Rosemount Fire Department, and Inver Grove Fire Department jointly applied for a regional FEMA grant for replacement of self – contained breathing apparatus known in the profession as (SCBA). The current SCBA used by the Hastings Fire department were purchased in 2003. They are rated for a 15 year lifespan, meaning they will expire at the end of 2018 . At that time, the equipment will no longer be serviceable and considered non – compliant with OSHA industry safety standards . A FEMA Assistance toFirefighter’s grant was applied for with the stipulation that the City of Hastings agree to serve as the fiscal agent for the grant should it be awarded. Notice was received recently that the grant will be made in the amount of 232,309 dollars. An additional 10 percent- 23,230- will be provided by the city budget as the local match required by FEMA. Forty-one SCBA units will be purchased at a cost of $6,200 each and six extra masks will also be purchased, with each of those costing 300 each. The Rosemount department received a grant of 211,300 and the Inver Grove Heights Department will receive 282,000. The city portion comes from the 2018 budget.
