MIDDLEBOROUGH – Chief Lance Benjamino is pleased to announce that the Middleborough Fire Department was awarded a $5,100 Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) to purchase ballistic protection gear for firefighters.
The EMPG was awarded to the Middleborough Fire Department by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Middleborough Fire will use the grant funds to purchase ballistic protection for firefighters that is specific for fire departments and is National Fire Protection Association 3000 compliant. The gear will be used by firefighters when called to serve as part of a rescue task force in an active shooter or criminal mass casualty incident.
“We are thankful to have been awarded this grant as it will assist us in outfitting the shift commander and first four firefighters with ballistic protection when responding to dangerous incidents,” Chief Benjamino said. “It’s unfortunate that we need to outfit our firefighters in this manner, but we want to ensure they are protected for whatever scenario they may face.”
In June 2020, Chief Benjamino, in collaboration with Middleborough Police Chief Joseph Perkins, created a joint Standard Operating Guideline (SOG) for responses to such incidents which quickly became a base SOG for the county. The ballistic protection purchased for firefighters will be in accordance with this guideline.
About the Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG)
The EMPG provides funds to assist local and tribal governments with emergency management departments in preparing for all hazards and to obtain the resources required to support FEMA’s National Preparedness Goal’s Mission Areas and Core Capabilities. Funds may be used to support local and/or regional emergency management activities in the following cost categories: Planning, Organizational, Equipment, Training, and Exercises.
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