SALEM — U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton announced in a press release that several fire departments and emergency-medical-service organizations throughout the area will receive a total of $1.6 million in Assistance to Firefighters Grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The AFG was created in 2001 “to help 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,” the release from Moulton’s office stated.
The Lynnfield Fire Department will receive $708,818 for firefighter training, which is a regional award also benefiting the Danvers, Middleton, North Reading, and Peabody fire departments, the release stated.
The Lynnfield Fire Department is the host community to manage the regional grant, which will be used to “implement a comprehensive incident command training program,” Lynnfield Fire Chief Glenn Davis said in a joint press release from the five departments. The departments will adopt the nationally recognized Blue Card Incident Command Training and Certification Program.
“This grant will allow us to train all of our firefighters to operate more safely at all incidents,” Davis said. “The training that is being provided as a part of this grant will allow the five communities to train together and be better prepared to work collaboratively as a part of the District 5 mutual aid system.”
The five participating departments share the mission of “providing life safety and a commitment to firefighter safety,” the joint press release stated.
“Enhanced training in incident management would improve upon both goals,” the release reads.
The Blue Card training program will improve “overall efficiency daily” and “help mitigate a significant skill gap at the command level that every fire department is experiencing,” the joint press release stated.
“It is well known that fire officers rely on intuitive, cue-based decision making when faced with dynamic, time-sensitive situations. Officers draw from their past experiences to select and implement an action plan, often with little or no conscious thought,” the joint release stated.
The number of structure fires is declining, which limits the experience level of officers and firefighters, according to the joint release.
“The decrease in fire activity has resulted in an experience gap among newly promoted company and chief officers. The lack of experience makes it difficult to recognize cues and select appropriate tactics, which can lead to improper risk assessment and ineffective incident command,” the joint release reads.
According to the joint release, the Blue Card training program will “improve confidence and decision-making skills” through the department’s ability to tailor it to “address incidents involving hazardous materials, technical rescue and special operations, mass-casualty, and firefighter emergencies.”
This training will assist officers with their “day-to-day” operations, Peabody Fire Chief Jay Dowling said.
“Being able to get this training with the other departments will make it much easier to work together when we respond on mutual aid to their communities,” Dowling said.
The Nahant Fire Department will receive $163,523. According to Nahant Fire Chief Austin Antrim, the funds will be used to acquire 22 self-contained breathing apparatus, one rapid intervention pack, and 14 compressed-air cylinders.
“It’s hard to put into words how much this program means to us. In Nahant, we have particularly such a hard time coming up with funding for the equipment we need,” Antrim said. “I would have been asking the town to borrow this money in the upcoming fiscal year.”
Nahant also received a local match of $8,000, bringing its total to more than $171,000.
According to the release from Moulton’s office, the Assistance to Firefighters Grants have also been awarded to the following 6th District communities: the Georgetown Fire Department will receive $614,729 for portable radios, as part of a regional award to also benefit the Amesbury, Groveland, and Merrimac fire departments; the Beverly Fire Department will receive $102,973 for firefighter bailout kits and training; and the Reading Fire Department will receive $84,560.87 for firefighter training.
“Firefighters and first responders sacrifice a lot to protect our communities day in and day out. They should have access to adequate training and resources,” Moulton said. “I am thrilled the 6th District was awarded over $1.6 million in federal grants for training and equipment for our local departments. This will help our firefighters do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible.”
“Fire safety grants fund critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel, enhance efficiencies, and support community resilience,” the release from Moulton’s office reads.
