BROOKLINE — Chief John F. Sullivan is pleased to announce that the Brookline Fire Department is one of nearly 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2021 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The $25,983 grant awarded to the Brookline Fire Department will be used to purchase a variety of equipment, including reflective vests for traffic incident management, radio harnesses and holsters, additional mobile chargers for radios, positive pressure ventilation fans and water rescue rope “throw” bags.
“The Brookline Fire Department is pleased to have been awarded this crucial equipment grant to help enhance our department’s safety and response capabilities,” Chief Sullivan said. “We are truly grateful to the Department of Fire Services for recognizing the tremendous needs of the Commonwealth’s fire departments.”
This program enables fire departments to purchase a variety of equipment that will make firefighters’ jobs safer. The $4 million awarded to departments statewide is part of a $25 million bond bill filed by the Baker-Polito Administration to support firefighter health and safety over the next five years.
Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 114 different types of eligible equipment, including personal protective clothing, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, assorted hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters, fitness equipment and more.
“Investing in the short-term and long-term health and safety of firefighters has been a hallmark of the Baker-Polito Administration,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “I am grateful that we are able to continue supporting this initiative and make sure that firefighters not only go home safe at the end of every shift, but also that they maintain their health during and after their careers. This funding couldn’t come at a better time either. With the financial challenges that COVID-19 has brought to so many Massachusetts municipalities, this grant funding will mitigate critical budget gaps in many departments.”
A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.
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