STOW — Chief Joseph Landry is pleased to announce that the Stow 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 $12,339 grant awarded to the Stow Fire Department will be used to purchase automobile extrication tools as well as new cold water rescue ropes and equipment.
“This grant will allow the Stow Fire Department to make much-needed upgrades to outdated equipment. Some of the items being replaced have been in service for over 25 years, so the new equipment will allow us to better serve the public while enhancing Firefighter safety,” Chief Landry said. “I am grateful to our partners with the Department of Fire Services, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and the legislature for recognizing and addressing these critical needs.”
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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