Eldon Firefighters Association raises funding concerns
The Eldon Firefighters Association does not have the money they need from the city to replace some aging equipment they bought back in 2003.
The association told ABC 17 News they need more than $56,000 to buy new fire gear, as the ones they currently have are reaching the end of their service life. It would cost an additional $200,000 to cost aging air packs.
The fire gear is meant to be replaced every 10 years, at a cost of anywhere from $2,700-$3,000. Air packs can cost from $4,500 to $4,700, and they need to be replaced about every 15 years.
At this time, the unit consists of 21 people, who are all volunteers. There are also no fundraisers planned to raise money for the equipment.
The city of Eldon is expected to release whether or not it will fund the purchases sometime next year.
Editor’s Note: In an earlier version of this story, we misidentified the Eldon Firefighters Association as the Eldon Fire Department. We have corrected the story.