Braintree Fire Department Gets $25K State Grant For Safety Gear

Braintree MA

19 January, 2022

3:23 PM

Description

BRAINTREE, MA — The Braintree Fire Department received a $25,000 grant from the state to purchase safety equipment, the state said last week. The Braintree Fire Department is one of 306 Massachusetts departments to receive funds from the $5 million FY22 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, according to the announcement from the Baker-Polito Administration. This is the second year that funding has been awarded for firefighter safety as part of a $25 million bond bill filed by the governor to support firefighter safety and health in the coming years. "Our communities and families depend on firefighters in difficult and dangerous moments," said Gov. Charlie Baker in a statement. "This program is an opportunity to show our deep appreciation for their work by ensuring they have the tools they need to stay safe and healthy." Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 118 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. The purchase of this equipment will help many departments attain compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration or National Fire Protection Association safety standards. "Best practices for firefighter safety are constantly evolving as technology advances and our understanding of the short- and long-term health impacts of the work improves," said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey in a statement. "This program is so important to help fire departments modernize their equipment and get firefighters the protection they need. The long-term health outcomes realized from these grant awards will have a truly immeasurable benefit." A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.