ROSEBURG, Ore. -- The Roseburg Fire Department will be purchasing 34 self-contained breathing apparatuses in the next few weeks.
SCBAs are the piece of equipment firefighters carry to provide them with breathable air while in dangerous situations, according to the fire chief.
Officials from the fire department said it will cost them $263,000 to purchase them. The city council approved the purchase on Monday.
The last time the breathing apparatuses were replaced were in 2005. The new ones will comply with the National Fire Protection Association standards. The current ones do not comply with standards and are out of warranty.
"Technology changes, and so there's upgrades," said Fire Chief Gary Garrisi. "It keeps our firefighters safer if we have the latest technology."
Officials said each SCBA has a 15-year life span, so they won’t have to worry about replacing them for more than a decade.
