Two grants given to the Mehlville Fire Protection District are being used to purchase new power rollers for fire hoses.
The grants are from Missouri American Water and Missouri Employers Mutual. The total purchase is for $22,060 for a 5-inch power roller, adapters, batteries, hose dollies and two small hose rollers. The grants will cover around $11,000.
Chief Brian Hendricks explained the power rollers will aid firefighters during fires and in training.
“It’s going to be geared toward making sure we take the wear and tear off everybody’s back. After you’re working these house fires, crews are … exhausted and we see a lot of injuries during the overhaul period of time. This equipment will allow us to address that,” Hendricks said.
The district has 420 sections of fire hose that are tested annually, and a power roller would help during that process.
