SABATTUS – The Fire Department has been awarded a $91,600 federal grant to buy new equipment.

“It’s real good (news),” Fire Chief Robert Scott said.

The money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will pay for new fire equipment including a 6,000 PSI air compressor and 14 airpacks, among other items.

The grant has a 10-percent local match, which means the town’s share is $9,160.

The award is part of $750 million being distributed to more than 7,000 fire departments nationwide this year.

Scott applied for the grant in April, writing it with his son, Michael, who fights fires for the Auburn Fire Department. It took approximately 80 hours, Scott said.

Just buying an air compressor alone would have cost approximately $15,000, he said. So it made sense to go after a grant which would cost less than that but provide the department with more equipment.

“I figured it would save the town a lot of money,” Scott said.

The Sabattus Fire Department fills its airpacks’ air bottles at the Auburn Fire Department, which has a 4,700 PSI air compressor, he said. But now Sabattus firefighters will not have to make the trip to Auburn. “We’ll be able to fill our own bottles right here,” Scott said.

A 6,000 PSI air compressor can fill 20 half-hour-air bottles in the time it takes a 4,700 PSI compressor to fill eight half-hour-air bottles, he said. A half-hour-air bottle has enough air to last a half-hour.

“I think the town is making off pretty good with this deal,” Scott said, adding that the grant gives his department a lot of equipment for $9,160.

Scott said his department has needed the new equipment for some time. “We would have had to piecemeal,” the chief said.

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