Firefighting is not only a potentially dangerous job, it can also be an expensive one.

Gear for each firefighter can cost thousands of dollars, not to mention the cost of purchasing trucks, hoses and other equipment.

The Ironton Fire Department has gotten several grants and donations to help pay for new equipment.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded a $47,334 grant to pay for a carbon reduction system, a washer extractor and fitness equipment for firefighters.

The carbon reduction system helps remove harmful fumes left by the diesel fire trucks and the washer extractor removes harmful chemicals from uniforms and equipment.

Chief Tom Runyon said the fitness equipment is a necessity given the nature of the job.

“One of the biggest killers of firefighters, according to the National Fire Protection Administration, at this point, is cardiac arrest and cardiovascular problems,” Runyon said. “Hopefully this will help us avoid that.”

Runyon said the grant helps pay for needed items the department could not afford on its own.

“Grants are a mainstay for us. We seek grants every year and we are aggressive in pursuing them,” he said. “I have been chief 11 years and I’d say we’ve gotten about a half million dollars in grants. There are a lot of productive programs we couldn’t offer before.”

On that list is the first responder program that allows firefighters to provide emergency medical assistance in conjunction with the Southeast Ohio Emergency Medical Services, water rescue and other forms of special rescue.

The Ironton Moose Lodge has also donated $1,940 that will be used to purchase equipment.

The department has also gotten a $31,000 grant from the Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program to pay for a device that will allow firefighters to identify unknown solid and liquid material.

Such a device is a necessity when dealing with chemical spills, leaks or fires. Firefighters got training on the new First Defender Mass Spectrometer on Friday.

Bids for the washer extractor and carbon reduction system should be put out for bid within the next 2-3 weeks.