Chief Paul J. Parisi is pleased to announce that the Ipswich Fire Department is one of more than 300 fire departments across the state to have been awarded a grant as part of the Department of Fire Services Fiscal Year 2023 Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant Program.
The $19,000 grant awarded to the Ipswich Fire Department will be used to purchase water rescue suits, forestry personal protective equipment, rapid intervention team gear, and ballistic gear for active shooter incidents.
“I am deeply appreciative to Gov. Baker’s administration and our legislative delegation for supporting fire departments across the Commonwealth,” Chief Parisi said. “Being able to access grant funding for this important safety equipment assists us in managing our budget at the local level.”
The program provides local fire departments with a variety of equipment that makes the dangerous job of firefighting safer. This is the third year that funding has been awarded as part of a five-year, $25 million bond bill filed by the Administration to support firefighter safety and health.
Fire departments in Massachusetts were able to apply to this program for 121 types of eligible 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, fitness equipment and more.
“Every time a firefighter goes to work, they could be asked to rescue a child from a burning building, clean up a spill of hazardous materials, treat a patient with a contagious medical condition, or rush into a hostile event to rescue and treat victims,” said State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey. “This program is absolutely vital to helping fire departments prepare for the vast array of hazards they face today and making sure that firefighters go home safe after every call.”