BOSTON – The Lynnfield Fire Department has been awarded a $19,000 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
According to Secretary of Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine, a total of $5 million in grant funding is being distributed to 321 fire departments across Massachusetts as reimbursement for the purchase of critical safety gear and equipment. Lynnfield’s grant award will be used to support the fire department’s purchase of vehicle stabilization struts.
“We are excited to be the recipient of this very important grant opportunity,” said Lynnfield Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis. “The vehicle stabilization struts will assist us at accident scenes to ‘stabilize’ the vehicle. This makes it more safe for fire department personnel to work on and around a vehicle involved in an accident and allows safer access to the victim for removal from the vehicle. Lynnfield has sections of Route 95/Route 128 as well as Route 1 that pass through the town. The Lynnfield Fire Department is thankful for the support of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security’s (EOPSS’s) Department of Fire Services (DFS) and the Healey-Driscoll Administration for continuing to offer the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program.”
Jones concurred with Davis’ viewpoint
“Lynnfield’s firefighters play a critical role in protecting the public while working under what are often very stressful and hazardous conditions,” said Jones. “These grants fill an essential need by ensuring our first responders have access to the proper turnout gear, tools and equipment to help make their jobs safer and allow them to better serve the public.”
Crighton agreed.
“Firefighters provide lifesaving services every day while risking their own lives,” said Crighton. “This grant equips Lynnfield Fire with tools that improve public safety while simultaneously ensuring safer responses for firefighters during emergencies. We greatly appreciate the Healey-Driscoll administration making firefighter safety a priority.”
The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants are part of a five-year, $25 million state bond authorization designed to improve fire safety across the state. This marks the fourth year funding has been awarded to the commonwealth’s fire departments under this competitive grant program.
“The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants are an investment in the health and safety of Massachusetts firefighters,” said Davine. “The flexibility of the program is especially valuable because it allows each department to make purchases based on their specific needs and resources. It has become a vital part of the way the Massachusetts fire service prepares for the constantly evolving threats in the world around us.”
The maximum amount of the grants made available to local fire departments under this program is capped based on the size of the population the department serves. Many of the equipment purchases funded through this grant program enable local fire departments to achieve compliance with Occupational Safety Health Administration or National Fire Protection Association safety standards.
