Casten Tours Westmont Fire Department During Annual Training
Today, U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) toured Westmont Fire Department and participated in their annual training drills to congratulate them on recently being awarded $181,000 in federal grants from the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA for safety equipment and training.
"I feel it's important to directly connect with the constituents and agencies of our district so that I can better understand their needs," said Rep. Casten. "After getting a chance to experience these drills first-hand, I have even more respect for our first responders. We should never take them for granted. I want to thank Chief Riley and the Village of Westmont for this opportunity. Westmont definitely has a first-class operation."
Each year, all Westmont Fire Department personnel participate in a training exercise using the SCBA equipment, known as the module consumption drill, to determine a realistic benchmark regarding how much time can a firefighter be engaged in a fire scene using one air bottle. Fire personnel dress in their full gear, and using only one air bottle, participate in an obstacle course to see how long one air bottle will last. The typical air bottle will last 15-18 minutes when the firefighter is engaged in a firefighting scene. The exercise also tests the stamina and strength of staff.
The Westmont Fire Department is an award-winning agency and is the only department in the country to have a Class 1 ISO rating and be an accredited agency while employing a part-time staff which saves the community millions of dollars each year.