Despite MBTA Non-Compliance, Wilmington Receives $15K State Grant For Firefighter Safety Equipment

Below is a press release from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, with additional information about Wilmington’s grant award:

BOSTON, MA — The Healey-Driscoll Administration recently announced that 307 Massachusetts fire departments will share $5 million in grant funding to support the purchase of new safety equipment.

Wilmington received $15,250.37. The grant funding will be used to partially outfit the new Engine 2 with extraction equipment. The Wilmington Fire Department was initially ineligible for the grant due to the town’s non-compliance with the MBTA Communities Act, but — after WFD Fire Chief Bill Cavanaugh had a conversation with State Representative Dave Robertson — the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services encouraged the town to apply.

“Massachusetts firefighters answer the call in every corner of our state and our job is to make sure they have what they need to do it safely,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’re investing in the equipment that protects them on the front lines and strengthening departments in more than 300 communities so they can continue protecting all of us.”

“We rely so heavily on firefighters in our most challenging moments,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This program allows us to show our appreciation for the risks that they take to help us every day by providing them with the equipment they need to stay safe.”

Fire departments across Massachusetts were invited to apply to the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program, which provides reimbursement on purchases of nearly 100 different types of equipment. Eligible items include hoses and nozzles, turnout gear, ballistic protective equipment, portable and mobile radios, thermal imaging cameras, hand tools and extrication equipment, hazardous gas meters, and more. In many cases, the purchase of this equipment will help departments attain compliance with Occupational Safety & Health Administration or National Fire Protection Association safety standards.

“Firefighters face immediate danger at fires, structural collapses, hazmat incidents, and countless other calls,” said Secretary of Public Safety & Security Gina Kwon. “They also face the insidious threat of occupational cancer from exposure to toxic gases and substances. The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants support equipment to protect them from all these risks.”

“The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program funds the tools, gear, and equipment that our firefighters use to protect themselves, each other, and the residents of their communities,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “It’s a smart investment in safety for the fire service and the Commonwealth.”