East Haven Secures Federal $174K Firefighters Assistance Grant Award

EAST HAVEN, CT — The town received $173,317.27 in federal funding for the East Haven Fire Department, Mayor Joseph A. Carfora and Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli announced.

This grant will fund the acquisition of Diesel Exhaust Removal Systems for three town-owned
fire stations and 12 Automatic External Defibrillators for all department vehicles.

Since 2017, the EHFD has been awarded over $1.79 million through this grant program.

The funding is provided through FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters Grant program. Supported by state Rep. Joe Zullo, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and Senator Chris Murphy, these funds will enable the purchase and installation of state-of-the-art diesel exhaust removal systems at Fire Headquarters, the Foxon Fire Station, and the Bradford Manor Fire Station.

The current systems, now between 20 and 30 years old, have become obsolete and costly to repair. Additionally, this grant will ensure that an AED is available on every fire apparatus and support vehicle in the town.

"The department's current exhaust systems are outdated and have been cost-prohibitive to repair, but they are essential to prevent diesel exhaust, a known carcinogen, from entering living
quarters. The new defibrillators feature biphasic technology, which is more effective than the
older monophasic units. We hope to partner with the Board of Education to increase the number
of AEDs in their facilities by repurposing our older units, which can be used by civilians. This
technology is truly life-saving," Marcarelli said.

Encouraged by Carfora, Marcarelli leveraged his grant-writing expertise to minimize the financial burden on the town, which would typically fund these purchases. In recent years, Chief Marcarelli has successfully secured nearly $2 million in grants.

"I commend him for his work on this highly competitive grant, and I am pleased to support his efforts. The installation of new diesel exhaust removal systems is a critical step in mitigating the risk of occupational cancers for our firefighters," Carfora said, adding, that "While the AEDs will be a vital resource available to any first responder, regardless of the vehicle they are on. This equipment is essential to the safety of both our great team of firefighters and the public."