Sartell Fire Gets Equipment Grant

(KNSI) — The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation has donated $28,466 to help Sartell Fire and Rescue buy new wildland gear.

Chief Peter Kedrowski explained to KNSI that the new equipment differs from the traditional set as “Our standard structural firefighting gear is obviously meant to protect us from extreme heat, which is really the opposite of what we would use in wildland. Our wildland gear is very lightweight. It protects us more from cuts, abrasions, things like that.”

Kedrowski says wildland gear will be used to fight fires anywhere there are “grasses, woods, areas that don’t involve structures and that’s what we’d predominantly wear. And this also gives us the flexibility of during boat rescues. You know a lot of our responders are coming from work or from just being with family, so they could potentially show up with shorts on or improper gear. It just gives a layer of protection while out in boats and anything else.”

Kedrowski says the department needs water gear this time of year as thin ice and spring flooding present unique challenges. Kedrowski says the first ice and last ice can both be dangerous for anglers.

The Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation is based out of Jacksonville, Florida. It helps departments across the country and is funded by sales at the popular sandwich restaurant.

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