Chief Don Stats is pleased to announce that the North Reading Fire Department is one of over 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The $18,636 grant awarded to the North Reading Fire Department will be used to purchase self-contained breathing apparatus and command board equipment, which is used to help manage fires and major emergencies.
“I am extremely grateful that the State and Department of Fire Services recognizes the job and inherent dangers that firefighters face while performing our duties and the importance of assisting to provide critical pieces of equipment to that end,” said Chief Stats. “I believe this program is important to North Reading and the surrounding communities, who provide mutual aid to one another, and should continue to be funded and supported through the Department of Fire Services. I’m also grateful to Rep. Brad Jones and Sen. Bruce Tarr for their continuing support of providing these funds to firefighters.”
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 in the coming years.
Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 121 different 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.”
A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.