HOLDEN – The Holden Fire Department has been tapped to receive a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to be used to replace 14 breathing devices used by firefighters to breathe in smoking, burning buildings.

The grant is on a 90-10 match basis. FEMA will provide $66,856; the town will provide $7,428 toward the project.

The total amount of money for the air pack replacement is $74,284.

The Holden Town Council on Monday approved taking money from a reserve account to provide the match.

Fire Chief Jim Ellis said the town’s request was among 19,000 applications from around the nation. It was the third year Ellis applied for grant money to replace the breathing devices, which are called Scott Air Paks.

In other business, the council awarded Ellis with a plaque recognizing him as an executive fire officer.

To achieve that status, Ellis had to complete a program of study requiring him to spend two weeks a year for four years at a fire academy. About a dozen Maine firefighters have achieved the executive fire officer status.