REGION — Three area fire departments have received word that they are the recipients of monies from this year’s state Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program. On Wednesday, Jan. 12, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the disbursement of $5 million in grant funding to 306 fire departments across the Commonwealth. This is the second year in which money has been awarded for the purchase of safety equipment under a $25 million bond bill filed by the administration to support firefighter safety and health in the years ahead.
The largest award locally, nearly $18,985, went to the Athol Fire Department.
Chief Joseph Guarnera said among the items he plans to purchase is a fit test machine.
“Yearly, fire departments have to get fit tested for the full masks — the SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) masks. There’s an annual fit test for that. And you’re supposed to be annually fit tested for the N95 masks that you wear on medical calls.
“Before you go to any fire class, or any recruit has the opportunity to go career recruit or call volunteer recruit, they have to get a fit test prior to going. So, we’ve always to pay to send people away to get these tests. We also have a company that comes in every year and fit tests people, to keep up on our annual testing. Or if it’s a new hire, we have to find somebody to do the fit test or pay somebody to do it.”
Guarnera said the ability to test in-house will alleviate both the difficulty of finding somebody to do the tests and the budgetary issue. The chief added he would share the machine with surrounding communities.
The cost of the fit test machine, Guarnera said, is approximately $15,000.
He said the department would also purchase new hose, which he said was needed “desperately.”
“We’re also going to be getting some cold-water dry suits,” he continued, “because we’re starting a program — we just had two firefighters become instructor-trainers for ice water rescue; ice water technician level and operational level. We’re now going through that process of the training, so these suits will come at a perfect time, and if we ever need them, we’ll have them.”
“Royalston was awarded $10,500, which was the maximum allowed for our population,” said Royalston Fire Chief Eric Jack. “We’re using that to buy a new FLIR (forward looking infrared) thermal imaging camera. And we’re also buying 1,000 feet of four-inch supply hose for one of our engines.”
Jack said the new FLIR will replace the department’s current thermal imager, which is approaching 15 years old.
“And the hose we’re replacing is over 30 years old and it’s non-compliant per NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) standards,” he explained.
Petersham’s Fire Department will be receiving just over $9,100 from the grant program.
Fire Chief Dana Robinson explained, “We used a priority list in making the selections, and one thing just happened to pop out because one of our newer members asked about it. So, we’re going to be using the majority of the money to purchase individual face masks for the firefighters, to be used with the self-contained breathing apparatus. That way, they’re only breathing in their own air in the face mask, and they don’t have to depend on them being completely cleaned in between uses, as you would by using the masks that came with the packs.”
Robinson also said the department will be purchasing some battery-operated scene lighting — lights that are used when responding to incidents in the nighttime “so you don’t have to stumble around in the dark.
“We have some that are electrically-powered, and you have to use gas-powered generators. Using rechargeable batteries — the technology with LEDs and everything is just so much better than anything we carry currently. It will improve the ease of setup, too, with them being battery-operated.”
“Our communities and families depend on firefighters in difficult and dangerous moments,” said Gov. Charlie Baker during the announcement ceremony in Stow. “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.”
“While the last two years have been so difficult for all of us, firefighters and first responders throughout the Commonwealth have courageously continued to serve the public,” Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito added. “We are grateful for their efforts and proud to be able to provide them with critical equipment and support.”
Fire departments across the state 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.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com