GROVELAND 一 Chief Robert Valentine is pleased to announce that the Groveland Fire Department is one of more than 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The $15,072 grant awarded to the Groveland Fire Department will be used to purchase Wildland Firefighting Personal Protective Gear.
Wildland protective gear is specific gear for wooded areas and brush types fires. Gear is lightweight and provides more mobility to firefighters when battling these types of fires.
The program provides local fire departments with a variety of equipment that makes the dangerous job of firefighting safer. This is the third year that funding has been awarded for this purpose as part of a five-year, $25 million bond bill filed by the Administration to support firefighter safety and health.
Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 121 types of eligible equipment, including ballistic protective clothing, thermal protective clothing, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, assorted hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters, fitness equipment, and more.
“Every time a firefighter goes to work, they could be asked to rescue a child from a burning building, clean up a spill of hazardous materials, treat a patient with a contagious medical condition, or rush into a hostile event to rescue and treat victims,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “This program is absolutely vital to helping fire departments prepare for the vast array of hazards they face today and making sure that firefighters go home safe after every call.”
“I would like to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for awarding us this grant,” said Chief Valentine. “We are very appreciative for this funding, which will ensure our members remain safe while fighting wildland-specific fires.”
A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.
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