Tuesday, December 10, 2019
FUNDS TO PROTECT FIREFIGHTERS FROM CONTAMINATED GEAR
A $500,000 grant program to provide critical funds to local fire departments that I secured in the state budget came to fruition today as Governor Charlie Baker announced the awarding of grants from the new program to 174 fire departments across the state.
The Governor made the announcement at a ceremony hosted by the Marlborough Fire Department, at which he also announced grants from a $425,000 program sponsored by Senator Paul Feeney of Attleboro to help departments acquire extractors, which launder the gear firefighters wear to remove contaminants that can pose serious health risks.
Together the two programs represent $925,000 being spent to protect the health and safety of firefighters across the state.
We have become increasingly aware of the threat posed to firefighters not only from the work they perform but also from the gear that is meant to protect them if that equipment has been exposed to hazardous materials.
The Governor was also joined today in Marlborough by Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Public Safety and Safety Undersecretary Jeanne Benincasa Thorpe, Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, Senator Paul Feeney, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant and Marlborough Fire Chief Kevin Breen.
Essex Fire Department $2,500.00
Ipswich Fire Department $2,430.00
Middleton Fire Department $5,440.00
North Andover Fire Department $7,181.10
Rockport Fire Department $7,181.09
Rowley Fire Department $2,484.00
Gloucester Fire Department $6,416.72
Groveland Fire Department $3,476.00
