Reading Fire Department awarded state Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant

BOSTON – State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) and Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester) recently joined with the Baker-Polito Administration to announce the Reading Fire Department has been awarded a Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant totaling $18,001.82 from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.

Reading was among 306 Massachusetts fire departments to be approved for funding under the program, which is designed to assist communities with the purchase of personal protective and safety equipment that meets the safety standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Under the grant program, 118 different types of equipment are eligible for funding, including personal protective clothing, thermal imaging cameras, hazardous gas detectors, and extrication equipment. Some of the most popular items funded through the program include helmets, hoods, gloves, coats and boots.

“Making sure our fire department professionals have the tools they need to keep our community safe is always a top priority,” said Representative Haggerty. “We all rely on our public safety officials to help us in our times of need – this grant will help them accomplish that goal.”

The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program was established under Chapter 151 of the Acts of 2020, An Act financing the general governmental infrastructure of the Commonwealth, which set aside $25 million in funding. A total of $5 million in grants were approved statewide in the latest funding round, which marks the second year in which grants have been awarded.