Paris buys washer for firefighter gear

PARIS — On Monday, the Board of Selectmen approved the purchase of a special type of clothes washer that will help to prolong the life of the town's firefighter gear.

The Milnor brand washer has a total price tag of $8,801, including electrical hookup, but the large majority will be paid for by a federal FEMA grant.

The cost to the town is $440, plus the cost of power and plumbing to the unit.

"You put a set of gear in a regular house washer, and it beats it to death," said Fire Chief Brad Frost. "It takes the threads out and everything."

A household washer turns much faster than the 32-per-minute maximum recommended by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), said Frost.

If the machine does indeed prolong the life of firefighter gear, it won't take long to pay itself off. Frost said that the cost of a single set of pants and coat is about $1,800.

The gear is washed on an as-needed basis.

In a report to the board, Frost noted that other machines were priced lower, but "we are recommending the Milnor brand as it meets the NFPA 1851 standard for Cleaning and Decontamination of Firefighter Gear."