LYNN — The Lynn Fire Department has been awarded more than $1 million in federal funding so it can replace another outdated fire truck.
Grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will also enable the fire department to purchase seven cardiac compression devices, and pay for personal protective equipment (PPE) and cleaning supplies for its COVID-19 response.
The department’s announcement that it has received three significant grants from FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program comes on the heels of two brand new fire engines being delivered to the Lynn Fire headquarters earlier this month.
Much like those two old engines that were replaced through a city bond, the grant funds will replace a ladder truck that is nearly 20 years old, a 2001 model-year truck referred to as Ladder 1 that is based at the Fayette Street Fire Station, according to Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer.
“It’s given us almost 20 years of good service, but it is well past its prime and no longer suited for a front-line piece for a (busy) city like Lynn,” said Archer. “Firefighters know that having safe and reliable apparatus to count on truly matters when seconds count.
“Receiving this aerial ladder grant award is a major accomplishment, as FEMA grants for apparatus are very competitive and comparatively few are awarded nationwide each year,” said Archer.
The total amount awarded for the aerial ladder truck purchase was $942,690, which includes a federal share of $856,991 and city match of approximately $135,000, according to Archer.
Overall, the three grants awarded to Lynn Fire total more than $1.24 million between the federal share of the grant and the city’s required-matching portion.
The department also received $112,000 to purchase seven cardiac compression devices. Those machines will be placed on all fire engines and will be used by the department’s emergency medical responders.
“These vital medical devices can mean the difference between life and death for patients in the pre-hospital setting,” said Archer.
The final grant, totaling nearly $145,000, will be used to pay for PPE apparatus such as N95 masks, tyvek suits and gowns, disposable rubber gloves, splash-protection equipment, and for cleaning supplies, such as disinfectant, to aid the department’s COVID-19 response.
“Considering the state of the current pandemic, the importance of this funding cannot be overemphasized,” said Archer.
Before presenting Archer with the three grant checks last Friday, David Parr, fire program specialist with FEMA and a retired Wakefield fire chief, told The Item that the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program is very competitive, but Lynn has been very successful with its grant applications over the years.
Since the AFG program started in 2001, Lynn Fire has been awarded 13 grants totaling approximately $9.3 million. That includes a $3.45 million Staffing for Adequate & Fire Emergency Response (SAFER) grant the department received in 2018, which allowed for the hiring of 20 new firefighters, Parr said.
This year, Lynn applied for three grants and received all three, which is notable as out of 8,000 applications, only about 1,500 grants are awarded each year. And only about a handful of ladder truck grants are awarded annually, Parr said.
“To write three successful grant applications is pretty significant,” said Parr. “It’s a pretty significant achievement for the city and the department to receive this money. It’s going to do a lot to protect firefighters and residents.”
Archer credited the department’s grant-writing team, led by Fire Capt. Ed Miles of Local 739 and Lynn Fire Department Systems Coordinator Kerri Stone, for helping to secure the grants.
He also gave Mayor Thomas M. McGee credit for his commitment to public safety, which was demonstrated by his willingness to support the department’s efforts to apply for the grants, and the Congressional delegation, Congressman Seth Moulton in particular, for their advocacy for the federal funding.
“It’s really exciting that we were able to get those grants, three really great grants for the community,” said McGee. “The ladder truck, in particular, is a substantial amount of money that’s invested.
“It makes it easy for us to follow that with the state dollars and really replace (what) was really in need of replacement. It matches the city’s investment in the two new pumpers — that’s really taking a focus on upgrading the fleet that’s 19-20 years old.”
McGee thanked the federal delegation, Moulton and Senators Edward Markey and Elizabeth Warren in particular, for ensuring federal funds are made available for cities like Lynn.
“No matter the emergency, our firefighters are always focused on getting to the scene and saving lives,” said Moulton. “Our first responders need access to the best equipment to both perform their job and keep themselves safe. These FEMA grants further that mission.”
Markey said “this federal funding will equip the Lynn Fire Department not only with important PPE and cleaning supplies to protect themselves and others from COVID-19, but also with new chest compression devices and a new aerial ladder truck to ensure Lynn’s firefighters are prepared for the worst situations.
“When mere seconds can mean the difference between life and death in an emergency, our firefighters must have the best equipment to keep themselves and our communities safe.”
Warren added that “our firefighters are out on the front lines each day working to keep our families safe.
“We owe it to them to ensure they have the federal resources needed to continue safeguarding their communities. This well-deserved funding for Lynn will better equip the city’s first responders as they confront the unique challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. I will continue fighting so that communities throughout the state have the resources they need.”
