Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan said one of the three issues with the Draeger Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus, which is used by city firefighters, is fixed.
An investigative report published by the Atlanta Journal Constitution newspaper said Anchorage and several other fire departments had reported issues with their Draeger-brand air packs.
One of the issues reported, the mouthpieces fell apart, cutting off the fresh air supply to the firefighters.
The Anchorage Fire Department reported 44 difficulties with the air packs.
On Wednesday, The Municipal of Anchorage, Mayor Sullivan, and the fire department said they have been looking into the issue.
Mayor Sullivan said that so far, the manufacturer of the equipment has been cooperative in correcting the air pack valve. “It’s a top priority for us to make sure our first responders have the best equipment possible and this equipment was not inexpensive. We really do expect the manufacturer to make sure that it functions properly,” he said.
Chief Chris Bushue of the Anchorage Fire Department said they are happy with the quick response from the makers of the equipment. “We’ve had our air packs for about a year.
There have been a series of issues that have come up with the air packs, but we’ve worked with the manufacturer,” he said.
Members of the fire department met with the equipment engineers to discuss possible changes to the latest model two weeks ago. They will reconvene on June 13th.
