January 20, 2022 Submitted by the Town of Hingham
Chief Steve Murphy is pleased to announce that the Hingham Fire Department is one of over 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2022 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The $18,830 grant awarded to the Hingham Fire Department will be used to purchase the following:
Turnout gear dryer – This dryer will be capable of drying six sets firefighter turnout gear at a time and will reduce carcinogens and reduce the risk of cancer for members.
Accountability boards – The four mobile command and accountability boards will be placed in four command vehicles to track firefighters on an emergency scene.
Survival suits – The five cold water immersion suits can be used any time of the year, particularly during the winter months, for cold water emergencies.
This program enables fire departments to purchase a variety of equipment that will make firefighters’ jobs safer. This is the second year that funding has been awarded for this purpose as part of a $25 million bond bill filed by the Baker-Polito Administration to support firefighter safety and health in the coming years.
Fire departments in Massachusetts 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.
A complete list of the awards by department can be found on the Mass.gov website.