By Mike Kruzman / news@whmi.com

Hamburg Township firefighters will soon be receiving new gear to help protect them from the dangers of battling a blaze.

At their latest meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the purchase of 15 sets of turnout gear from Municipal Emergency Services of Sanford, Michigan. Turnout gear is the protective clothing firefighters wear, including their trousers, boots, and jacket.

National Fire Protection Association-approved gear has three layers, being an outer shell, a moisture barrier, and a thermal liner for maximum safety.

Hamburg Public Safety Director Richard Duffany made the request, as 15 current sets of the fire department’s turnout gear have either reached the manufacturer expiration date or will this fiscal year. This was initially budgeted in the department’s fiscal year 2021/2022 budget for $35,000. Duffany told the Board of Trustees, though, that “as with everything else,” “prices have gone up dramatically.” The new price he brought forward was just north of $41,650. Hamburg Supervisor Pat Hohl noted that that was a 21-percent increase in just one year. Director Duffany said that with the originally $35,000 being set, the fire department has enough to cover the $6,000 increase and will do so from the undesignated reserve fund.

The Board, with 3 members absent, approved the motion to purchase the gear by a 4-0 vote.