In his 13 years with the Barren River Volunteer Fire Department, Stephen Grossl has seen growth both in activity and in the number of firefighters. What he hasn’t seen is much in the way of new equipment.

Until now.

Grossl, the Barren River VFD’s fire chief, learned last week that his fire department has been selected to receive an $88,627 Assistance to Firefighters grant through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The money will be used to purchase 14 new air tanks, called self-contained breathing apparatus, that Grossl says are sorely needed.

“When I first joined the department, we got the air packs we use now,” he said. “Most of the time with fire departments things go out of date after 10 years.”

Grossl said the new air packs should provide better technology that will extend the breathing time from 30 to 45 minutes.

Jennifer Schmidt, who wrote the grant for the new equipment under her contract with Warren County Fiscal Court, said in a news release that the new SCBAs are “key to the department’s goal of lowering the risk of inhalation hazards to fire department personnel, increasing firefighter safety and increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of the department.”

That’s important, Grossl says, for his growing department. From its two stations, one on Brookwood Drive and another on Barren River Road, the Barren River VFD has grown from fewer than 200 fire and other emergency calls per year – when Grossl started – to more than 300 last year. The department has 18 total firefighters (probationary and certified), eight firetrucks and a boat.

Now it will be getting new equipment that Grossl says could be not only more up-to-date but also easier to use.

“Some of the older packs aren’t user-friendly,” Grossl said. “This new equipment might make it easier to learn how to use.”

The grant award calls for 14 new air packs, but Grossl plans to stretch the money as far as possible.

“We’re going to advertise for bids and ask vendors to demonstrate their products for us,” he said. “We hope to have the new equipment within two months.”

The Barren River VFD is the second Warren County fire department to receive the FEMA grant. Earlier this year, the Richardsville VFD used a $139,048 grant to purchase 24 new SCBAs.

Schmidt said the Richardsville VFD has applied for a second Assistance to Firefighters grant and that the Hadley VFD has an application pending, as well.

Getting those federal grants is a big help, says Fifth District Warren County Magistrate Mark Young.

“That really helps our fire departments,” said Young, whose district includes both the Richardsville and Barren River VFDs. “And it helps fiscal court and the taxpayers.

“It’s still taxpayer money, but I’m glad we can get that federal money back into the community and help those fire departments. They struggle for every dollar they get.”