Wagarville Fire Chief Eric Sullivan displays equipment the department recently purchased with money it received through two Wild Land Fire Suppression grants. The money was used to buy 10 sets of wild land gear (fire suits), two fire graces, two five-gallon backpack water sprayers, two 2-1/2 inch nozzles, five portable radios and two chainsaws. (SA photo by Evan Carden) Two grants and a private donation have enabled the Wagarville Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new equipment to better enable them to battle wildfires.

According to Wagarville Fire Chief Eric Sullivan, the department recently received two Wild Land Fire Suppression grants, for $1,900 each. The grants were awarded through the Alabama Forestry Commission and were land gear (fire suits), two fire graces, two five-gallon backpack water sprayers, two 2-1/2 inch nozzles, five portable radios and two chainsaws.

"Our goal is to become one of the best equipped rural departments in the area," said Sullivan. "We also want all our members to be trained in all aspects of firefighting."

A private donation from a citizen, who prefers to remain anonymous, also helped purchase some equipment. In addition, Sullivan, who works parttime as a sales representative for Mitchell Fire Supply in Tuscaloosa, was able to purchase a Jaws of Life set thanks to a discount he receives as an employee of the company.

The department already had an array of equipment for fighting fires. By way of vehicles, it has a 1980 pumper truck with a 1,000gallon capacity, a tanker with a 1,850-gallon capacity, a brush truck (pickup-style vehicle) and a van for use when responding to ambulance calls, mainly traffic crashes. In addition to the equipment it recently acquired, the already had one chainsaw for cleaning up after storms and a portable defribulator for use in saving the lives of heart attack patients.

Sullivan, who has been with the department since he was 15, became assistant chief in 1998. He was chosen as chief six months ago after the former chief stepped down.

"Every person in our department receives the training needed to operate all of our equipment," he said. "Every member is trained in CPR and use of the defribulators. Most are already trained on use of the Jaws of Life and the rest will receive that training as well in the near future."

Training sessions are provided by members of the McIntosh Fire Department and Rescue Squad as well as representatives from the Fire College in Tuscaloosa.