EASTON — Chief Kevin Partridge and Captain John Dzialo are pleased to announce that the Easton Fire Department has received two Firefighter Turnout Gear Grants from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and the Department of Fire Services (DFS). The department will be able to purchase protective hoods and gloves for personal protection during firefighting operations and a washer to clean the gear.
A grant of $7,181.09 will be used for turnout gear and a second grant of $4,165 will go toward washer extractor for cleaning turnout gear.
“We are thankful to EOPSS, the Department of Fire Services and the Baker-Polito administration for providing these grants and helping to equip our firefighters with the latest in safety equipment and gear,” Chief Partridge said. “Occupational cancer is a major concern among all of us in the fire service and doing all that we can to prevent it is something we should all be focused on.”
Easton was one of 174 Massachusetts fire departments to receive the grant funds.
Captain John Dzialo, who applied for the grants, said, “I am thankful that we were one of the departments selected to receive both of these important grants. Every fire department should be equipped with this gear to prevent exposure to harmful chemicals and carcinogens.”
“We now know that the risk of occupational cancers is amongst the greatest threats faced by modern firefighters. Providing firefighters with new gear to wear and establishing regular and effective gear washing programs are two of the most valuable actions we can take to reduce future cancer diagnosis” said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey. “We are thankful that the Commonwealth has made this a priority and invested in the advancement of the ongoing cancer prevention efforts of fire departments across the state.”
Funding for this grant program was made available through the Baker-Polito administration for fire departments across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
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