FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Ferraguto
January 15, 2004
(617) 428-2007
SENATOR KENNEDY AND CONGRESSMAN LYNCH ANNOUNCE
FEMA FIRE GRANT FOR TOWN OF EAST BRIDGEWATER
Senator Edward M. Kennedy and Congressman Stephen F. Lynch announced today that the Town of East Bridgewater has been awarded a Fire Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and United States Fire Administration (USFA). The federally-funded award, in the amount of $96,363, will be used to fund the purchase of 25 Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and a Rapid Intervention Team Rescue Air Kit.
Congressman Lynch advocated on behalf of East Bridgewater’s application with the U.S. Fire Administrator at FEMA in Washington, R. David Paulison. East Bridgewater is the seventh community in the Ninth Congressional District to receive an award in Fiscal Year 2003.
Funded by Congress, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program is designed to increase the effectiveness of firefighting operations, firefighter health and safety programs, new fire apparatus, EMS programs, and Fire Prevention and Safety Programs. Since June 2003, FEMA and USFA have awarded more than $619 million in fire grants to 7800 cities and towns across the country. The total of all FY 2003 awards will represent a $750 million investment to enhance fire and EMS service delivery throughout the United States.
“As Massachusetts faces some of the coldest weather in decades, we are reminded of the importance of our state's first responders, and the extraordinarily difficult job they have,” said Senator Kennedy. “This funding will go a long way to help ensuring that firefighters in East Bridgewater have the equipment and resources they need to help ensure the safety of every family in their community.”
Congressman Lynch said, “This grant is some good news for the Town of East Bridgewater. Chief Ryon Pratt put a strong case forward to Homeland Security officials and it’s obvious they recognized his department’s hard work and commitment to the people they’ve sworn to protect. I realize that the state budget situation is very difficult right now and we are working with Senator Bob Creedon and Representative Kathy Teahan to come up with ways to get us through these tough economic times. I hope that by directing these federal dollars toward local public safety needs, we will provide some relief to the local tax base.”
Nearly 20,000 fire departments - volunteer and career - applied for grant awards this year, submitting requests totaling almost $2.5 billion. A lengthy peer review, involving 300 fire service representatives from throughout the United States, was conducted by the USFA over the past several months. East Bridgewater was one of just 151 fire departments nationwide, 5 of which are in Massachusetts, selected in this round of awards.
Congressman Lynch has been working closely with each of the cities and towns in the Ninth Congressional District on their applications for federal grants under the Fire Act, and additional funding for first responders made available after September 11th. Lynch added, “East Bridgewater’s commitment to equipping its firefighters with state-of-the-art protective equipment and the town’s cooperation with regional emergency officials have made them an ideal candidate for homeland security funding. But it’s been the leadership of Chief Pratt at the Fire Department and Chief Silva at the Police Department that have made East Bridgewater so successful at securing these funds.”
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