STAMFORD, CT – Mayor David Martin, Director of Public Safety Ted Jankowski and Fire Chief Trevor Roach today announced that the Stamford Fire Department will soon have new breathing apparatus for all crews. The Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) will have new technology to better protect Stamford firefighters.

Mayor Martin, wearing one of the new packs, speaks at the press conference, with Fire Chief Roach and Director of Public Safety Jankowski.

“A lot has changed in the technology of air packs in the last few years,” said Mayor Martin. “Firefighters risk their own safety every day. And if there is a way to better protect them, it is important to do that to ensure that they are as safe as possible when they are out saving lives.”

The new Air-Pak X3 SCBA has a more comfortable and sleeker design that removes snag hazards. The packs carry 50% more capacity in the same space, allowing for increased work and escape time. And most importantly, the new packs have technology in them that will allow the firefighter and the incident commander to see how much air is left in each firefighter’s pack. This will help incident commanders to make better decisions about the safety of each firefighter.

Director Jankowski stated, “We want to make sure that our Firefighters are provided a high level of safety with the best possible equipment available so that they can provide for the safety and well-being of our residents. These new SCBAs deliver that increased level of safety. The air packs provide for a higher thermal degradation level, increased firefighting operating time and more appropriate exit time for the Firefighter to safely leave the ‘Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health’ atmosphere.”   

Fire Chief Roach added, “Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) is the most important and widely used tool in the fire service today. We must protect our Firefighters from the acute dangers, high temperatures, CO, and Cyanide but also from the chronic issues like cancer. These new air paks provide a higher level of protection.”

Mayor Martin also announced that the Stamford Fire Department’s Scott Air Pack 75s will be donated to a fire department in Lima, Peru. Lima is one of Stamford’s Sister Cities and Mayor Martin and a delegation visited Lima in July, 2015.

A Stamford firefighter wearing a new pack and mask.