Chelmsford Fire Capt. Joshua Abbott (left) and East Kingston Firefighter/EMT Robert Bishop. (Photo Courtesy East Kingston Fire Department)

Chelmsford – Chief Ed Warren and the East Kingston Fire Department would like to express their gratitude to the Chelmsford, Mass., Fire Department for its generous donation of protective equipment.

The Department recently received 20 full sets of turnout gear from Chelmsford Fire, which will replace the Department’s current gear.

Recently, Massachusetts instated a new regulation that all fire gear needs to be free of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). New Hampshire currently has no such regulations.

Following the updated regulations, Capt. Joshua Abbott of the Chelmsford Fire Department reached out to East Kingston Fire seeking to donate the gear.

Capt. Abbott and the East Kingston Fire Department have maintained a close relationship since June 2023. Abbott, who was on vacation, stopped at the scene of a serious single-car crash and assisted East Kingston personnel in extricating the driver moments before the car burst into flames.

Capt. Abbott recognized that Chelmsford Fire would have to dispose of its gear, which was all purchased within the last few years and is in good condition. He reached out to East Kingston Fire immediately, knowing the Department’s gear was older and needed to be replaced.

One set of gear typically costs around $5,000.

“We are incredibly grateful to Capt. Abbott and the Chelmsford Fire Department for this overwhelming generosity,” said Chief Warren. “Turnout gear is extremely expensive. As an on-call department in a small community, we are continually looking for funding sources to purchase up-to-date equipment. This gear is a significant improvement, and means we can pursue even newer, safer gear when the opportunity presents itself.”

Photo Courtesy East Kingston Fire Dept.

Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only two states that currently have regulations against PFAs in firefighting gear. Though the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) is advocating for PFAs to be prohibited in all gear nationwide, gear with PFAs is permitted for use by Fire Departments in New Hampshire.

There are measures firefighters can take to limit their exposure to PFAs and ensure that they are safely using their gear. The IAFF recommends that firefighters do not take turnout gear into firehouse living areas or wear turnout gear to responses where that level of protection is unnecessary. It is also recommended for departments to clean their apparatus bays regularly, and for firefighters to wash their hands after handling turnout gear.