FARMINGTON — Selectmen on Jan. 28 accepted a $4,050 Volunteer Fire Assistance grant for 10 sets of forestry personal protective equipment [PPE].

“We have applied for a grant through the Maine Forest Service,” Chief Tim D. “TD” Hardy said. “It is standardized for any department that protects under 10,000 people. We applied for 10 sets of forestry PPE.”

Hardy said the department hasn’t updated that equipment in a long time, most of it is from the ice storm of 1998.

“It is a 50-50 match,” he said. “It will cost us $4,050.”

Coats, hats and helmets will be purchased, Hardy noted. Matching funds will be taken from the clothing and incidentals line, he stated. “We have been trying to transition into this helmet,” he said. “It’s a forestry helmet. Can use it with chainsaws, has hand protection. We actually bought a couple last year so we are moving that way.”

The department covers a lot of windstorms, Hardy said. “Firefighter helmets aren’t really the right thing,” he noted. “They are cumbersome dealing with trees, things like that.”

Selectman Richard Morton asked if it was a separate set of gear.

“It’s lighter weight, doesn’t have the same liner,” Hardy responded. “It’s more agile than the heavier work clothing. It’s got some fire protection to it.”

This gear is not dangerous, Hardy emphasized. The heat, weight and everything else for forest fires is cumbersome with the other gear, he said.

“So based on the call, they know which set of gear to use,” Morton asked.

“Yes, just probably grab different stuff,” Hardy said.

“I have seen the late Fred O. Smith run 2 1/2 miles through the woods in full gear with a fire hose,” Selectman Matthew Smith noted. “So it can be done.”