The Baltimore County Fire Departmen has unveiled a system for ridding diesel exhaust from 25 of Baltimore County?s fire stations, along with two new and “very red” fire engines.
A hose attaches to the exhaust pipe in the new system and effectively sucks the diesel fumes directly out of a fire apparatus when it initially starts up, producing a blast of exhaust, and detaches after the apparatus pulls out of the station house, fire officials said Tuesday.
“Diesel exhaust is a carcinogen. It was an issue for the local firefighters? union, as well as for this fire department,” said Elise Armacost, spokeswoman for the department.
The project capped two decades of union pressure on the county to purchase the $1.6 million system and two years of working on the project, building it into each career station house, Armacost and a labor official said. A federal grant of $750,000 offsets part of the county?s investment, Armacost said.
“We are ecstatic,” said Michael Day, president of the county?s firefighters? union. “They?re pleased with the fact that someone is concerned about their long-term safety and health.”
The two engines, which went to the Halethorpe and Garrison stations, respectively, were built to accommodate the firefighters? requests on things like headphones to reduce noise and the height of the steps, Armacost said.
Together they cost about $733,000, she said.
