Midland, Saginaw and Bay City fire departments will replace 120 SCBA units, with new expected in service by summer 2026

By MLive.com Staff
mlive.com

SAGINAW, Mich. — Three fire departments in mid-Michigan have received more than $1.3 million in federal funding to replace critical safety equipment used by firefighters when responding to emergencies, officials said.

The Midland Fire Department, Saginaw Fire Department, and Bay City Department of Public Safety were awarded a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant totaling $1.3 million, Saginaw fire officials said. The grant will fund the replacement of 120 self-contained breathing apparatus units across the three departments.

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Under the joint application, Midland will receive 36 breathing apparatus units, Saginaw will receive 41, and Bay City will receive 43, officials said.

U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D- Bloomfield Township, praised the collaborative approach taken by the three departments to secure the funding.

“Firefighters work tirelessly to protect our communities and property,” Peters said in a statement. “It’s absolutely essential that they have the tools needed to stay safe when responding to an emergency.”

The departments will have the new self-contained breathing apparatus units in service by summer 2026, Saginaw fire department officials said.

Generative AI was used to structure and organize information for this story, based on data provided by the Saginaw Fire Department. It was reviewed and edited by MLive staff.

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