PLYMOUTH — Chief G. Edward Bradley is pleased to announce that the Plymouth 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 $25,995 grant awarded to the Plymouth Fire Department will be used to purchase and install gear drying cabinets to further enhance the department’s firefighter cancer prevention program.
The department’s stations are currently equipped with extractors which are special washers for cleaning and disinfecting firefighters’ gear after a call. At this time, the stations do not have drying capacity. With the purchase of the dryers, the department will be able to properly remove all the carcinogens from firefighters’ gear to reduce their exposure to these hazards.
“The funds from the Department of Fire Services’ Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program are vital in ensuring that our firefighters are fitted with the most up-to-date safety protection equipment,” Chief Bradley said. “With the funds allocated by the state, we have the opportunity to purchase additional equipment that will keep our men and women safe on the job.”
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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