Fire equipment sprays into Wales

By Cheri Fisher
Turley Publications Reporter

WALES -On Sunday, Jan. 24 Raymond Tylutki Jr. of “1st On Scene Fire & Emergency Services” was at the Wales Fire Department to train firefighters on how to use the departments recently acquired FIT-5 units.
The FIT-5 (Fire Interruption Technology device) is handheld and can be used to fight any type of structure, fuel or electronic fire, and because the unit uses less water to fight the fire, the damage to property is diminished.
Similar to a fire extinguisher, but only weighing 11 pounds, it works by first pulling a pin, but instead of holding the unit to fight the fire, it is tossed into the blaze.
The unit then discharges a sodium based product for 30-seconds. It has the ability to knock down a fire in a 2,100 cubic foot room and can eliminate further spread of flames to other areas.
It can do all of this without requiring a firefighter to step foot into the engulfed area.
Tylutki said towns in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other states are already using the units with results. He noted the Wales Fire Department is the first fire department in Western Mass. to have purchased the units.
Chiefs from neighboring towns such as Brimfield, Holland, Monson, and Stafford Conn. were also present to learn about the new technology’s benefits.
“It is a great addition to the Wales Fire Department as well as the neighboring fire departments,” said Fire Chief Paul Morin Jr. who added all three units would be outfitted on the trucks that are sometimes called for mutual aid.
Morin credited Deputy Chief Jody Bennett with the research and suggestion of obtaining the new equipment.
In early fall, Wales Fire Association members held a raffle to raise money for the units, where the winners of the raffle won fuel funds and the proceeds from the raffle was used to purchase three FIT-5s for the department.
Morin said without the work of the association selling the tickets, and people of Wales and neighboring communities purchasing them, the Wales Fire Department would not have been able to afford the new equipment.