HARWICH – The Harwich Fire Department reports that they have been awarded $335,443,35 in grand funding. This funding will be used to upgrade the department’s 800 MHZ radios that are part of the statewide trunked radio system. This upgrade is required as the state upgrade their system and funding had been approved at the May annual town meeting. With the award of this grant, the majority of those funds can be returned to the town.
Harwich was one of 6 towns in this area awarded the grant Friday. These grants are critically important for fire departments to maintain equipment and keep firefighters safe. Additionally these ease the burden on town budgets and ultimately the taxpayer.
The FEMA website described the program as follows, “The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire department and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
As part of the program, FEMA provides training and guidance through the Regional Grant Officers. Each year the department works closely with David L. Parr, our Regional Fire Program Specialist for the AFG program – DHS / FEMA Region 1 to ensure we meet the requirements of the program. Mr. Parr’s assistance is invaluable in both the application progress and subsequent award.
The department also appreciates the support of Representative Keating and Senators Markey and Warren with advocating for our department projects.
BREWSTER – On Friday August 13th Brewster Fire/Rescue received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that their 2020 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Application had been approved and would receive funding in the amount of $178,000.
In providing the award FEMA stated “after considerable consideration, the recipients project described in the narrative and details section of the application which included financial need, project description, cost/benefit, and statement of effect information was consistent with the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program’s purpose and worthy of an award”.
Since 2010 the department has received nine Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) awards and one Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant totaling more than 1.75 million dollars in funding for equipment, fire safety education programs, training, and staffing.
With this award the department will replace thirty-four self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) with new state-of-the-art units that will significantly improve the health and safety of firefighters operating in hazardous atmospheres, lessen the potential for the development of work-related cancers, and visibly increase the departments operational effectiveness and efficiency at emergency incidents.
Brewster Fire/Rescue would like to thank Congressman Keating, Senator Warren, and Senator Markey for their support of this vital Federal grant program and for the valuable assistance provided by their offices during this year’s application period. In addition, we would also like to thank David Parr our FEMA Region 1 Fire Program Specialist for the outstanding comprehensive and expert guidance delivered to our organization throughout the entire grant process.
