Deep River’s Fire Department has cleared the air with updates to its diesel exhaust filtration system at the Winthrop Station located on the corner of Route 80 and Westbrook Road.

On Jan. 24, the Deep River Fire Department (DRFD) announced that despite some initial structural challenges, the new diesel exhaust system would soon be up and running according to the DRFD Facebook page www.facebook.com/Dept5. The Fire Department thanked the Board of Finance and the Board of Selectman for allocating the funds to ensure that the building met all safety requirements.

The exhaust system, which is mounted to the ceiling to save floor space, pulls exhaust fumes out of the building—the hoses hanging from the ceiling attach to the mufflers of the of the fire trucks with magnets, allowing a quick release when needed.

The garage housing the trucks is adjacent to the office area, and even though the trucks don’t need to idle for long before leaving the station, diesel fumes pose a health risk. The ceiling mounting maximizes space for the trucks, which are backed into the station to ensure a quick exit in case of emergency.

First Selectman Angus McDonald said that once the new system was approved, Fire Chief Timothy Lee and his crew of volunteer firemen and women were ready to roll up their sleeves and do the demolish of the drop ceiling to prepare the area for the exhaust system. Unfortunately, there was structural damage in the roof that required an engineer and construction crew to repair before the exhaust system could be installed.

With the successful installation of the new exhaust system at the Winthrop station, the town intends to update the fire headquarters at 57 Union Street with the same system by the end of the year.