Wilmington Fire Dept. Gets Nearly $19K State Grant For New Equipment

WILMINGTON, MA — The Wilmington Fire Department will receive $18,892.00 from the state as part of the FY23 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, the administration of Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito announced Friday.

Wilmington Fire Chief William Cavanaugh told Patch that the grant will be used to purchase a second set of airbags with a controller and hoses. The airbags are used to lift heavy objects, usually when rescuing people who are trapped.

Cavanaugh said the equipment will replace a set of airbags that are 22 years old. Wilmington also has a set of airbags that were purchased a few years ago as a budget line item, according to Cavanagh.

The proposal for the grant was written by Chelmsford FD Lt. Tom Ceres, Cavanaugh said. Ceres also wrote a previous grant that helped the department secure ballistic gear and bleeding control supplies.

"Writing grants is tedious, but knowing that the town has benefitted greatly in recent years from grant funding keeps us motivated to seek alternative avenues for purchasing equipment," Cavanaugh said.

This is the third year of the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program, which is part of a 5-year, $25 million bond bill filed by the Baker/Polito administration to support firefighter safety and health.

"We ask so much of our firefighters, and no matter how dangerous or difficult the situation, they always do whatever it takes to help," Baker said. "This program is an opportunity to make sure they are properly protected every time they answer a call for help."

For the program, fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply for grants that can be used to purchase 121 different types of equipment, including: ballistic protective clothing, thermal protective clothing, gear washers and dryers, thermal imaging cameras, assorted hand tools and extrication equipment, communications resources, hazardous gas meters and fitness equipment.

In many cases, the equipment will help departments become compliant with the safety standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Fire Protection Association.

"Three years into this program now, we're really seeing the impact that it is making out in the field," said Shrewsbury Fire Chief, James Vuona, president of the Fire Chiefs' Association of Massachusetts. "Firefighters are responding to calls with the proper protective gear and tools, which makes their jobs much safer. The firefighters of Massachusetts and their families are grateful for this investment in their health and safety."