Shown is an image of a new breathing air compressor that Appomattox Volunteer Fire Department will purchase through Town Council’s ARPA funding. Image: Jonathan Garrett/Contributed

The Appomattox Volunteer Fire Department (AVFD) will be receiving a new breathing air compressor after Appomattox Town Council approved by a 5-0 vote (with one abstained) to provide funding for the device during its March 28 meeting.

AVFD Fire Chief Jonathan Garrett spoke to Town Council that evening, explaining the necessity of replacing the current aging breathing air compressor that aids in protecting the health and lives of firefighters.

“This breathing air compressor is something that is at our fire station that we use each and every time that we respond to structure fires and car fires, and stuff like that that has a hazardous material situation,” Garrett said. “We used it sometimes during COVID when we had to enter an environment that could possibly cause an exposure...It would modernize what we currently have, allowing us to fill the bottles faster and get back into service quickly so we can help serve the community even more efficiently.”

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