U.S. Sens. John Kerry and Scott Brown, and U.S. Reps. Stephen Lynch, D-South Boston, and Niki Tsongas, D-Lowell, recently announced that fire departments and emergency response teams across Massachusetts will receive an additional $2.7 million in federal funding for training and safety gear.
Several South Shore towns are among the 13 communities in Massachusetts that have been granted additional funds. The Halifax Fire Department received $799,920, the Rockland Fire Department received $630,090, the Kingston Fire Department received $54,168, and the Hanover Fire Department received $15,200.
“With local budgets crunched, this investment helps make up some of the difference and makes sure that our firefighters are as safe as possible doing an unbelievably dangerous job. Equipment and training is the least we can provide for these heroes,” said Kerry.
The funding was awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants program. The money is intended to go toward training, health programs, new safety equipment and emergency vehicles for front-line firefighters.
Brown said: “Our fire chiefs and firefighters always tell me how important these grants are, and I’m proud that our local departments continue to receive this much-needed support. Our firefighters deserve to have the equipment and training necessary to continue doing the heroic work of protecting our communities.”
