SWANSEA— Chief Eric Hajder is pleased to report that the Swansea Fire Department received a $19,000 grant from the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2024 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The Swansea Fire Department will use the funding to purchase in-cab communications systems to enhance communications and protect firefighters from the damaging noise encountered while responding to fires.
The wireless headset system will improve the ability of firefighters and officers to communicate critical information during emergency responses. The system will integrate with the apparatus radio system to help ensure no vital information from dispatch is missed. The headsets will also allow drivers and operators to perform their on-scene tasks while maintaining radio contact.
Fire departments across Massachusetts were invited to apply to the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program, which provides reimbursement on purchases of 135 different types of eligible equipment. Eligible items include hoses and nozzles, turnout gear, ballistic protective equipment, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, 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. This is the fourth year that funding has been awarded through the program.
“The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grants are an investment in the health and safety of Massachusetts firefighters,” said State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. “The flexibility of the program is especially valuable because it allows each department to make purchases based on their specific needs and resources. It has become a vital part of the way the Massachusetts fire service prepares for the constantly evolving threats in the world around us.”
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