Canton Wins State Fire Safety Grant For Nearly $16 K

CANTON, MA - The Canton Fire Department won a state grant of $15,944.75 from the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS) and the Department of Fire Services (DFS) for the purchase of firefighter safety equipment in FY 22, the administration announced Wednesday.

The opportunity to apply for this grant was available to fire departments in every city, town, fire district, and eligible state authority fire department in the Commonwealth for the purchase of firefighter safety equipment. The total amount of funding available was $5 million, and grants were awarded on a competitive basis. The maximum amounts of grant funding were determined by the population of the community being served.

The maximum amount of grant funding that Canton could have received was $19,000 because its population ranged between 10,000 to 29,999 residents . Canton's population currently is 24,370, according to the 2020 U.S. Census.

Canton Fire Chief Charles Doody, in an interview with Patch on Wednesday, said the funds will be used to purchase needed modern walkie-talkies so that firefighters can more easily communicate during an emergency.

"We are trying to upgrade our communications equipment," he said, noting he applied for the grant about three months ago. "It will be used to purchase five mobile radios, which are basically walkie-talkies. They are manufactured by Motorola, which manufatures all of the safety equipment of this type now."

The older portable radios have become outmoded, Doody explained, noting that firefighters have difficulty hearing each other between all of the protective gear they wear as well as the noise of an emergency.

"The new models have Bluetooth technology that will transmit directly to the firefighters, which approves their breathability and ultimately their safety and the safety of everyone involved." he said. "We are so appreciative of this grant."