Several southeastern Connecticut Fire Departments will soon be able to monitor the movements of some of their firefighters using a GPS device called Pack Track.

The equipment can locate lost firefighters who may be in distress at a fire.

“It’s a remarkable tool,” said Norwich Fire Chief Kenneth J. Scandariato. “It’s all about the safety and survival of our firefighters.”

The Mystic Fire Department, New London Fire Department, Norwich Fire Department and Niantic Fire Department received the equipment as part of a grant from the nonprofit Firefighters Support Services.

Each department plus the regional HAZMAT team out of Mystic received one receiver, tracker and four GPS devices that go on the firefighters air packs. The electronics device the firefighter wears allows the department to track their air packs during a fire.

“Our hope is to augment them by buying more of the trackers so we have them for all our guys,” said Mystic Fire Chief Frank Hilbert. 

Hilbert said Firefighters Support Services approached the Mystic Fire Department about applying for the grant and then the Mystic Fire Department suggested the other area departments apply as well.

The organization based out of Michigan is comprised of retired firefighters and health professionals. Firefighters Support Services raises money throughout the year administrates grants to fire departments around the country and also works with burn units specializing in children.

“We work to assist underfunded fire departments with critical safety needs in the form of equipment,” said Matt Cahillane who came to Connecticut to deliver the equipment.

The four fire departments expressed their gratitude to Firefighters Support Services adding that fire departments have access to few funding sources and those that they do have access to are often very competitive. When they normally have to compete against each other to receive grant money and equipment this time they were able to work together.