BEACON FALLS — While most houses in town were still in the dark following the October snowstorm, residents gathered at Town Hall to approve the purchase of a new “jaws of life” for the fire company.
The measure passed unopposed, with 34 Beacon Falls residents voting at a town hall meeting Nov. 2.
The fire company’s equipment, which can cut through cars to extract victims from accidents, has been out of commission since the beginning of the summer.
Without the equipment, Beacon Falls must rely on other towns if firefighters can’t reach an accident victim, wasting precious minutes.
The total cost for the new equipment will be $25,850 to replace hoses, pump, cutters, spreaders, a power unit, and couplers that go on the end of the hoses. The Hurst brand tool will be compatible with Beacon Hose Company No. 1’s current equipment and with equipment owned by fire companies in surrounding towns, including Seymour, Oxford, and Naugatuck, according to Fire Chief Michael Pratt.
