The Broussard Fire Department could receive almost $400,000 for new equipment, payroll and utilities.
The department got the OK from members of the Broussard City Council during a meeting last week for the funding, which will cover the cost of new equipment. Council members also introduced an ordinance to shore up funding for capital outlay and payroll expenses.
FEMA provided $24,000 for a new washer and dryer for the fire department and $172,000 to purchase a new air cascade system to refill air tanks.
Broussard Fire Department Deputy Chief Justin Denais expressed his gratitude for the grants and explained why the new equipment is much needed.
“The cascade trailer will help us provide assistance not only to the south side of Lafayette Parish but to Iberia, Vermilion and St. Martin,” Denais said. “Most of these areas have cascade systems, but they don’t have a compressor. Once you run out of air, that’s it. This will allow us to refill air on scene.”
The funding for a washer and dryer will give the department a second system, Denais said.
Council members introduced an ordinance to allocate $90,000 toward heating, plumbing and electrical for one of their facilities and $100,000 for payroll. After recent approval from the fire marshal for its new training facility, the department is now looking to staff the building.
“What we would like to do is take two of our nine-hour shifts that are worked during the day and put that toward a 24-hour person,” Denais said. “We want to take the remainder of the funding to staff that station 24 hours a day and seven days a week.”
The end goal is to have two 24/7 staff members at their First Street location and also at the new training facility. Staff at the West Fairfield Street location will continue to work nine-hour shifts until the fire department can provide adequate living quarters there.
Broussard Fire Chief Bryan Champagne said he is grateful for the funds and noted the difficulties they faced without a cascade trailer.
“We have some cascade systems at the station, but we have to haul our air bottles all the way back there,” Champagne said. “It’s not convenient if we’re going to be there for long durations of time. This will allow us to now do it on the scene. This has been several years in the making. We applied for the grant and got lucky this time.”