Loyal firemen now well-equipped thanks to $118,000 anonymous gift

At this time last year, the Loyal Fire Department was looking to replace decades-old equipment used by its individual members to put out fires. The price tag for what they needed was high, but thanks to the generous donation of an anonymous member of the community, the department will be able to keep their focus on saving lives and structures while wearing new gear that will be better at keeping them safe.

The fire department recently completed its purchase of 22 new sets of turn-out gear and 12 selfcontained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) and is currently in the process of training its volunteer members on the new features on the gear. Scott Radue, the fire chief of the Loyal department, said the entire purchase of the new equipment was possible because of a donation by an unknown individual in the amount of $118,000 for the purpose of getting the crew new gear.

“We had gotten an anonymous donation from someone in the public I assume, for $118,000,” he said. “It stated specifically that it was to be used for turnout gear and SCBAs. Since then we have gone out and bought 22 sets of turn-out gear, which is the full set from the coats, pants, boots and helmets. We also purchased some safety vests that we use when we respond to traffic accidents. It brings everything we had up to date.”

The update in gear was one that Radue said was very much needed. The previous gear, he said, was more than 20 years old and was not protecting the firemen the way updated gear would.

“The previous gear was very, very outdated,” he said. “There were some that were from 1994. The new gear keeps the heat out but also allows the fabric to breathe so heat doesn’t stay trapped inside. The old suits were not doing that anymore. The new gear should help when it gets hot and will reflect the heat.” In addition to the turn-out gear, the fire department also purchased 12 SCBAs and 20 masks to go with them. In these pieces of equipment, the advancement of technology is most clearly evident. Compared to their old models, the new SCBAs are more efficient -- able to carry more compressed air, use less battery packs and are able to be changed easily.

“I wish we knew who it was so we could thank them personally, but we can’t. Without their help, we would have struggled for a lot of years to put something like this together.” -Loyal Fire Chief Scott Radue “There is more PSI pressure in the new bottles so we are able to have more air in each bottle,” he said. “With more air, we can spend more time inside a fire than we could before. Half of the struggle is getting back in to where groups let off when they started running out of air. This almost doubles the amount of air we have in each bottle so we have more time we can spend inside to put out a fire.”

The bottles of compressed air also come with a new accessory that would allow a fireman to attach his bottle to that of another crew member to share air in the case of an emergency. While that is not likely to happen due to new advanced warning devices on the bottles and masks that should give the firemen enough time to leave a building, it is another option they have in case they need it.

“The bottles give a warning when there is one third of a tank left, our old bottles would give a warning when there was a quarter of a tank left,” said Radue. “It gives us a little more warning. There is also a system now that they can share bottles through hose connections, so if one guy is running low, they can share until they can get him out.”

The masks come with new features as well. Each one has the ability to connect to a bottle pack via Bluetooth to continually keep a fireman up to date on the condition of his pack. Some of the masks -- to be given to more active members on the roster -- also have a push-to-talk feature to allow the crew to more easily communicate with each other.

“We got the masks partially because of COVID,” he said. “It helps along that front. Some of the new masks have a push-to-talk feature and those will be in the masks of the more active guys. It will allow them to talk to one another without any issues. The masks also have Bluetooth inside them so that they can get their alerts and the masks will automatically sync with any pack that they grab. That makes it even easier for them.”

When looking back on the purchase, Radue said it was very important for them to be able to purchase these kinds of equipment all at once rather than staggered over time due to the very features that will allow expediency at scenes. Each year, he said models will change just enough to make equipment a bit more diffi cult to handle and extra training is needed to make sure everybody knows how to use each one. By purchasing them all at once, the issue is avoided entirely.

“We had wanted to buy all the equipment like this at once so it is all the same type,” he said. “If you staggered it out, there would be little changes that would be in each piece of equipment. This way, if someone grabs a piece to use, they can use it without worrying about any differences.”

Radue said he hopes that whoever is behind the anonymous donation is aware of how much of a positive effect their action has for the Loyal Fire Department. The entire purchase would not have been possible without their help, and he hopes they know that the members of the fire crew are grateful for their kindness.

“The new gear is very much appreciated by the members of the fire department,” he said. “We were struggling to afford equipment, but we’re now definitely turning the ship in the right direction. It has been a lot of years since we have had something like this. I wish we knew who it was (that gave the donation) so we could thank them personally, but we can’t. Without their help, we would have struggled for a lot of years to put something like this together.”