More than 700 Cobb County firefighters are converting to state-of-the-art respiratory protective equipment.
Cobb County and MSA Safety Inc. have released a $3.5 million joint contract to provide this self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) equipment to replace the department’s 10-year-old equipment.
“Our firefighters put their lives on the line every day to keep the residents of Cobb County safe, and this new respiratory protective equipment will provide a greater level of safety on the job,” said Cobb Deputy Fire Chief Bill Johnson for Preparedness.
“This technology is a significant upgrade for our first responders, and I thank MSA for partnering with us to help keep our more than 700 men and women in the fire service safer,” he added.
According to MSA, the G1 SCBA is the most technologically advanced, balanced and customizable breathing apparatus the company has ever developed.
SCBA represents the culmination of a five-year $50 million R&D effort that factored in voice-of-customer feedback from thousands of firefighters around the world, according to a county statement.
The new SCBA platform, which was introduced in 2014, includes several breakthrough features such as the elimination of all electronic components from the facepiece; a “Central Power” feature that powers the entire unit from a single, rechargeable battery; darkness- and smoke-piercing “buddy lights” that provide visible indicators of critical air supply data from any angle and improved voice amplification communications - all of which come standard on every unit.
In addition, the unit’s unique ergonomic design - combined with an adjustable waist belt and wide shoulder straps - allows more SCBA weight to be carried on a firefighter’s hips.
Collectively, these features make the SCBA more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time.
“We’re incredibly honored that the Cobb County Fire Department has entrusted MSA with the responsibility of protecting the men and women who keep the residents of Cobb County safe each day,” said MSA President and CEO Nish Vartanian.
Information: CobbCounty.org/public-safety/fire/news/cobb-county-fire-department-invests-new-safety-equipment
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