Westport Fire Department donated used personal protective equipment such as coats, pants, boots that they can no longer use to Ukraine. On behalf of the Westport Fire Department, Fire Marshal Nathaniel Gibbons organized the project and delivered the fire turnout gear yesterday for a shipment being sent abroad to the Ukrainian firefighters.

Gibbons stated, “Firefighters support one another around the county or the world. The men and women of Ukraine fighting fire under war conditions reached out for our support- so we responded. We support them and their fight for freedom.”

Chief Michael Kronick stated, “Imagine trying to put out a fire without the proper fire equipment. There are raging fires in cities, forests, and fields from the numerous bombing attacks which the firefighters are working around the clock to put out. We know that our equipment is going to save lives and help the firefighters.” Gibbons also wanted to thank Westport resident Mark Yurkiw. Yukiw is fluent in Ukrainian and expedited the communication and logistics necessary to get this gear directly to Ukraine Emergency Services.

The National Fire Protection Association specifies that structural turnout gear shall be retired when the garment is beyond repair and no longer able to pass the NFPA 1851 test. While this donated gear is past its technical expiration date for use here in the States, it is clean, in serviceable condition, and ready to provide protection to our Ukrainian brother and sister firefighters.