The Santa Maria Fire Department is getting a much-needed upgrade. On July 2, U.S. Congresswoman Lois Capps (D-Santa Barbara) announced the city’s fire services received a $97,100 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. The grant will go toward the purchase of thermal imaging cameras and crew development training.
“The fire department provides invaluable services to the community, and it is critical that it is equipped with technology and knowledge that will help keep its brave firefighters safe in the line of duty,” Capps said in a press release.
Santa Maria Fire Chief Jeff Jones added in the release that the two thermal imaging cameras will better allow firefighters to see victims and building interiors in smoky conditions. The grant will also help pay for five state certified courses Jones deemed “instrumental in the training and professional development of our future fire officers.”
In late 2009, the department successfully secured two other grants totaling more than $4 million through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The money is going toward the construction of two new fire stations.
The city is working on replacing station No. 3, a converted 70-year-old house that receives 3,000 calls a year—about half of the city’s responses, making it one of the busiest stations around.
Station No. 3 is being moved to city-owned land near Preisker Park, and another station (No. 5) is being built near Suey Crossing Road on the northeast side of Santa Maria.
City officials expect construction on station No. 3 to be completed in late 2011, Jones told the Sun in an interview earlier this year. Station No. 5 is still in the beginning stages of development.
This article appears in Jul 8-15, 2010.