Marquette Firefighting Clothing Grant

The clothing that Marquette firefighters use when they respond to calls has seen better days.

It’s about 10 years old.

Some of it is threadbare, and some of it has stains on it that won’t come out.

So it’s time for a wardrobe change, and the Fire Department is about to get one with a nearly $28,000 Department of Homeland Security grant.

Unavoidable abuse from U.P. winters cut way down on how long the gear can be used — about 8 years instead of 10.

The grant will cover 26 sets of turnout clothing, one for everyone in the department.

They bough the current clothes with a first-responders grant from FEMA.

Chief Tom Belt is applying for more grant money in a few weeks for something else the Fire Department needs.

Belt says that grant money would buy several thermal imaging cameras to replace cameras the city has that are obsolete and unreliable.