Westport Fire Department Donates Used Equipment To Ukraine

Westport CT

04 May, 2022

6:32 PM

Description

The following announcement is from Westport Fire Chief Michael Kronick regarding fire equipment being sent to Ukraine: WESTPORT, CT — Westport Fire Department donated used personal protective equipment such as coats, pants and boots that they can no longer use to Ukraine. On behalf of the Westport Fire Department, Fire Marshal Nathaniel Gibbons organized the project and delivered the fire turnout gear Tuesday for a shipment being sent abroad to the Ukrainian firefighters. Gibbons stated, "Firefighters support one another around the county or the world. The men andwomen of Ukraine fighting fire under war conditions reached out for our support- so weresponded. We support them and their fight for freedom." Chief Michael Kronick stated, "Imagine trying to put out a fire without the proper fireequipment. There are raging fires in cities, forests, and fields from the numerous bombingattacks which the firefighters are working around the clock to put out. We know that ourequipment is going to save lives and help the firefighters." Gibbons also wanted to thankWestport resident Mark Yurkiw. Yukiw is fluent in Ukrainian and expedited the communicationand logistics necessary to get this gear directly to Ukraine Emergency Services. The National Fire Protection Association specifies that structural turnout gear shall be retiredwhen the garment is beyond repair and no longer able to pass the NFPA 1851 test. While thisdonated gear is past its technical expiration date for use here in the States, it is clean, inserviceable condition, and ready to provide protection to our Ukrainian brother and sisterfirefighters.