Air pack company defends product used by DeKalb firefighters

A vice president of the company that makes the breathing equipment that DeKalb County’s firefighters want to get rid of defended his product to Channel 2 Action News on Wednesday.

Tim Martin, Drager's vice president of sales and services, said the company's air packs surpass industry standards.

An air pack supplies a firefighter with clean oxygen.

Martin told Channel 2’s Erica Byfield his company stands behind their products.

"We've been in the fire business for well over 100 years. We have over 1 million of these worldwide, and we are very strategic when we design these products, because we know they’re out there to save people's lives," Martin said.

Drager flew three employees to Atlanta on Tuesday to meet with DeKalb County’s fire chief as a result of a series of reports by Channel 2 Action News.

Martin's team believes there is a problem with maintenance, not the air pack.

• RAW VIDEO: Full interview with Drager vice president

"We cannot overstate the importance of understanding the units and understanding how to maintain the units," Martin said.

Byfield spoke to DeKalb County Fire Department Chief Edward O'Brien.

"Last year, we had 371 working fires in this county, so we have trucks that leave one fire and go to another fire, so we just can't do major maintenance between every fire," O’Brien said.

Channel 2 obtained more than 1,000 documents through an open records request. One of the documents was a letter from the fall of 2011 from O'Brien to DeKalb County's chief operating officer.

"We have had numerous injuries occur. I need your assistance with replacing these air packs with the former brand, 'Scott,' air pack before we have a catastrophic loss. I understand that funds are extremely tight, but I cannot place a price tag on one of my personnel's life,” O’Brien wrote.

DeKalb County’s budget committee voted on Tuesday to buy the firefighters new air packs.

Martin told Byfield he hopes they change their minds. He plans to send the chief a list of suggestions regarding ways the department can resolve some issues with the equipment.

The full commission is expected to vote on the budget on Feb. 28.