Our Residents Deserve Better

Winfield Fire District has been forced to delay the purchase and replacement of many important life-saving devices:

• Automated Compression Device (aka “the Thumper”) which performs automated chest compressions. This is especially important when ambulances are forced to wait to cross the railroad tracks because of freight train activity.
• RIT (Rapid Intervention Team) Packs have reached the end of their life. This is the bag with a small air bottle and breathing mask that is carried into a fire when a fire-fighter or victim is trapped and needs an emergency air supply. Federal grant money was received to purchase new breathing packs for our firemen this year, but there was not enough money to replace this tool.
• Turnout (fire fighting gear) and dive suits have worn out and need to be replaced. Some have been replaced this year, but there are still many that need to be replaced.
• Dive Team rescue boat was no longer usable so it was retired; our dive team does not have a rescue boat and must borrow one from neighboring fire districts when needed.