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Denmark reviews fire department reports and potential grants for air packs
Summary
Select Board heard that the fire department tracks calls and certifications, faces local training constraints, and that a FEMA amendment and other grant requests could fund equipment such as air packs; staff will inventory equipment and list expiration dates for grant planning.
At the May 12 Select Board meeting, town staff and fire-department representatives gave updates on training, equipment inventories and grant applications. The town received March and April reports; staff said personnel responding to calls are in compliance but some training scheduling is uneven and practical skills sessions must be arranged offsite due to limited local offerings.
Fire department staff said training records are kept in individual binders at the station, and the department will create a consolidated inventory of big‑ticket items (turnout gear, hoses, trucks, extrication equipment, AEDs) and note expiration dates to inform budgeting and grant planning. The board asked for a master equipment list to anticipate replacement costs and to support grant requests.
Manager reported an amendment to a FEMA grant was accepted and a payment request has been submitted; FEMA funds were discussed as a potential source to support the purchase of air packs and other equipment. The manager also reported a $10,000 State Farm grant application and a pending Firehouse Subs application aimed at the air-pack project. No formal appropriation was made at the meeting.
The department reported it has five EMTs who carry required licenses but faces challenges finding local hands‑on training; the town is working with regional partners (Fryeburg Rescue, United, PACE) to secure instructors. Board members also asked staff to track hours for the newly structured fire‑chief position over the coming months for future review.
Next steps: staff will prepare an equipment inventory with expiration dates, follow up on FEMA and other grant decisions, and report back to the board for budgeting and procurement planning.
