A $1,500 tailored suit isn’t always a luxury — for a firefighter, it can be a necessity. If an emergency medical services provider wears a protective blouse without a tail at the back, the blouse may ride up when the wearer bends over, letting rain or hazardous fluids into the wearer’s trousers. Trouser cuffs that are too long at the back may get caught under the wearer’s heels — annoying in day-to-day life, but dangerous in an emergency.
“It’s a hazard,” Fire Marshal Paul Trumblee said. “If you’re in a burning building and you’ve got roof material falling down and there’s nails sticking up, you can catch the back of your pant leg and it’ll stop and trip you.”
Additionally, as suits age, their waterproofing and protection against bloodborne pathogens degrades. But purchasing new suits can be costly. Even without upgrades such as visibility markings, hoods or extra pockets, a protective suit can cost about $1,500. However, Cordova Volunteer Fire Department is expanding its wardrobe with 13 additional suits, each featuring a tailed blouse, trouser cuffs taken up at the back, and custom tailoring to make sure each suit fits comfortably.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” Fire Marshal Paul Trumblee said. “Some people are petite, and they might be wearing something big, so they’re swimming in the gear. Or we might have bigger members, and they can’t wear little stuff. We have to custom-tailor all of our gear to our members so they’re comfortable.”
The suits are also rip-proof, an important quality when working around automobile accidents. After department members return from a call, suits are cleaned in-house using a commercial-grade washing machine.
It typically takes about three months for new, custom-made gear to arrive, though logistical difficulties imposed by the coronavirus pandemic may cause delays in this case. The purchase was made possible by $20,000 in funding from Cordova Electric Cooperative and CoBank. Previously, CEC offered up to $5,000 to support local organizations, with up to $5,000 in matching funding from CoBank through the bank’s Sharing Success program. But, when CoBank increased its matching offer to $10,000 in response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, CEC followed suit.
“I’ll take free money anyday!” Trumblee quipped.
In the past, the CEC Board of Directors has usually chosen to grant funding for electric-related projects, such as upgrading Cordova Arts and Pageants’ stage lighting, or refurbishing the wiring in St. George’s Episcopal Church. However, Cordova’s emergency services are so universally important that it seemed to justify departing from convention, Cordova Mayor and Cordova Electric Cooperative CEO Clay Koplin said.
“The community of Cordova has been kept very safe through the summer, and we owe our medical team and our emergency management volunteers for that,” Koplin said. “It was very appropriate, and a great way to show our appreciation for all the volunteer work that our team does for us.”
CoBank has been a reliable partner for CEC throughout previous crises, such as the severe flooding that impacted the area in 2006, Koplin said. Because funding for the suits didn’t come via the city, the city wasn’t required to increase property taxes or other means of revenue in order to meet the cost. CVFD has purchased much of its high-dollar equipment via grants, and was awarded over $200,000 worth of grants in 2019.
“We were very fortunate to receive this grant,” Trumblee said. “It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Previous initiatives funded by CEC grants and CoBank’s Sharing Success program include electronic upgrades to Cordova Historical Museum, and activities in which Mt. Eccles Elementary School students designed and constructed light-up electronic bracelets.
