BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 1, 2015–The Belize Fire Service has received firefighting and rescue equipment totaling over BZ $1.5 million in value from the U.S. Embassy.

       The donation was handed over to the Belize Fire Service by His Excellency Carlos Moreno, Ambassador of the United States to Belize, on Friday.

      The donation included 200 personal firemen suits complete with boots; 80 breathing apparatus replacement cylinders; 12 heavy duty rescue saws, called ‘jaws of life’; 14 combustible gas detectors; 6 vehicle stabilization kits; 4 transportable pumps, and 40 handheld radios specifically designed for firefighters, generators and hydraulic pumps.

     The Ambassador said that the donation was a part of its humanitarian assistance program for Belize.

      Belize Fire Service Operations Officer Ben Matura said that the equipment will greatly assist them.

      One local firefighter has remarked that, with the new ‘jaws of life’ they just received, they will be able to recover people out of wrecked and mangled vehicles more quickly and take them to hospitals.

       The equipment is expected to be distributed to all fire stations countrywide.