The application period for the 2013 Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) program is expected to open this fall (www.fema.gov). This means fire departments can soon apply for grant dollars to purchase equipment needed to heighten firefighter safety, including Continental Girbau Inc. (Continental) ExpressWash™ Washers and ExpressDry™ Gear Dryers.
Continental ExpressWash Washers and ExpressDry Gear Dryers properly clean and dry turnout gear and other protective apparel – helping protect wearers from the hazards of contaminated gear. Fire departments across the nation purchase ExpressWash and ExpressDry equipment using AFG grant dollars every year.
“Continental washers and gear dryers properly clean and dry protective gear according to gear manufacturer and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines,” said Continental Vice President Joel Jorgensen. Highly programmable, ExpressWash Washers allow fire departments to clean a variety of items – turnout suit shells and liners, truck towels, EMS jump suits and more – using a simple-to-use programming system and automatic chemical injection.
Operators select a program number, press start, and the washer automatically blends optimum water temperatures, water levels, chemicals, extraction speeds and cycle times. “ExpressWash Washers are freestanding machines,” added Jorgensen. “So they are easily installed in tight places without bolting them to reinforced concrete foundations. They will operate beautifully in truck bays, on floors with in-floor heat, in utility rooms, or anywhere there is a bit of space.” Once turnout gear is properly washed, it’s quickly and safely dried using either an ExpressDry Gear Dryer or ExpressDry Special Ops Gear Dryer.
The Special Ops Gear Dryer is equipped with 12 drying ports and four invertible stickmen to quickly and safely dry protective gear and apparatuses used for firefighting and special operations, such as swift water, ice and dive rescues.
An optional boot tree dries up to four pairs of soaked boots in just 60 minutes. The dryers use a 110-volt fan to push non-heated air through the garment – from the inside out – at high pressure. This effectively dries areas that are hard to reach – returning gear to service in hours, rather than days.
ExpressWash Washers and ExpressDry Gear Dryers are backed by an industry-leading ContinentalCare™ warranty and often qualify for AFG grant dollars.
To find out more about the products, visit www.continentalgirbau.com or call 800-256-1073.
To learn more about the AFG program, visit http://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program.
Continental Girbau, Inc. is the largest of 14 subsidiaries of the Girbau Group, based in Vic, Spain. Girbau laundry products – marketed throughout 90 countries worldwide – meet rigorous environmental and safety standards established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Girbau S.A. holds both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications. Ever focused on laundry efficiency, Continental Girbau is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGB), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that developed the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System.
