Berkshire Communities Receive Firefighter Equipment Grants
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STOW— In Berkshire County, 17 communities were awarded Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants to be used to purchase equipment.
This program enables fire departments to purchase a variety of equipment that will make firefighters' jobs safer. This is the second year that funding has been awarded for this purpose as part of a $25 million bond bill filed by the Baker-Polito Administration to support firefighter safety and health in the coming years.
"Our communities and families depend on firefighters in difficult and dangerous moments," said Governor Charlie Baker. "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."
The Baker-Polito Administration awarded $5 million in grant funding to 306 Massachusetts fire departments from the FY22 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
Berkshire County Recipients:
- The Adams Fire District: $15,399.24
- Cheshire: $4,212.18
- Clarksburg: $10,483.60
- Florida: $10,500.00
- Great Barrington: $15,498.00
- Lee: $15,500.00
- Lenox: $7,005.94
- Monterey: $10,500.00
- New Ashford: $10,500.00
- North Adams: $19,000.00
- New Marlborough: $10,500.00
- Otis: $10,500.00
- Peru: $10,182.00
- Pittsfield: $20,075.40
- Richmond: $10,290.00
- Sheffield: $5,492.44
- West Stockbridge: $6,071.00
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. In many cases, the purchase of this equipment will help departments attain compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration or National Fire Protection Association safety standards.
"The toll that occupational cancer has taken on the fire service is unfortunately immense," said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy. "We often see and hear about heroic rescues in the face of obvious and overwhelming danger, but the risks firefighters face go well beyond those events. I am thrilled that we can provide so many fire departments with this funding for equipment that will reduce firefighters' long-term exposure to the cancer-causing materials they encounter every day at work."
$5 million in grants were awarded in total. A complete list of the awards by department can be found here.
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