State Grant Funds Updated Equipment For Madison Fire Department

MADISON, NJ — The Madison Fire Department was one of the recent recipients of a state grant totaling $10 million, which was distributed to 293 fire departments across the state.

As part of the American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grant program, the Madison Fire Department has received a $22,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA).

The program was created to ensure that firefighters have adequate protective, cleaning and sanitization equipment during this time of increased community need.

“Equipping our firefighters with the proper gear is crucial to allowing them to safely and successfully do their jobs,” Governor Murphy said. “The health and safety of our essential workers is of the utmost importance to this Administration. I am grateful to DCA for recognizing these departments’ needs and awarding funding to provide this equipment.”

Given the current strain on communities dealing with pandemic recovery, it is critical to ensure that firefighters are adequately protected against the combined threats of the COVID-19 virus and the strain of emergency fire requests.

“The heightened anxiety felt by first responders like firefighters during the pandemic is well documented,” said State Fire Marshal and Division of Fire Safety Director Richard Mikutsky. “Being outfitted with safe gear and clothing helps lessen this stress so that firefighters can better concentrate on the tasks at hand when responding to an emergency call.”

To be eligible for the grant funding, each applicant had to describe the intended use of the funding and name the key personnel and/or outside consultant who will be managing the grant funds and purchasing equipment.

Applicants also had to submit a governing body resolution acknowledging and approving any grant application and the proposed plan to use funds for the purchase of approved items.

All awarded fire departments will use the grants for:

• Protective clothing (turnout clothing ensembles, pants, garments, helmets, hoods, gloves,
• footwear, etc.)
• Cleaning and advanced cleaning equipment
• Oxygen equipment
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Other fire/virus protection equipment as determined to be appropriate by DCA’s Division of Local Government Services.

The grant also came at an important time, as the fire department's union has recently called on the borough to improve wages and working conditions.

During contract negotiations with the borough last fall, Madison Firemen's Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA) Local 74, issued public callouts for pay and staffing increases, which were forwarded to the mayor and Borough Council via email.

"Despite repeated efforts and meetings, the borough administration refuses to accept these serious issues our department is struggling with and has chosen to prioritize dollars and cents ahead of life and property. Even throughout the Covid pandemic when our FMBA members were understaffed and serving on the front line of EMS response, our service to the community never wavered," FMBA Local 74 said.