See The Morris Co. Fire Companies Getting A Share Of $20M ARPA Grant

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Local fire departments in Morris County will receive between $15,000 and $75,000 in federal funds for protective, cleaning, and sanitizing equipment, according to officials.

Gov. Phil Murphy's office announced the award of $20 million in American Rescue Plan Firefighter Grants to more than 350 local departments in the Garden State.

Fire departments will be able to use the funding for protective clothing, breathing apparatuses, personal protective equipment, and cleaning/advanced cleaning equipment. All local and regional fire departments in New Jersey were eligible to apply.

Here are the local departments getting grants:

• Chatham Township: $15,000
• Chester Township: $75,000
• Denville Township: $65,000
• Dover Town: $72,000
• East Hanover Township: $45,000
• Florham Park Borough: $15,000
• Kinnelon Borough: $72,000
• Long Hill Township Stirling Volunteer Fire: $40,000
• Long Hill Township Millington Volunteer Fire: $30,000
• Madison Borough: $55,000
• Mendham Township: $55,000
• Morris Township: $35,000
• Morristown Town: $72,000
• Mount Arlington Borough: $70,000
• Mount Olive Township: $75,000
• Netcong Borough: $75,000
• Parsippany Troy Hills District 1: $70,000
• Parsippany Troy Hills District 3: $75,000
• Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Fire District 5: $60,000
• Pequannock Township: $50,000
• Riverdale Borough: $30,000
• Rockaway Township: $50,000
• Roxbury Township: $40,000
• Washington Township: $65,000

To qualify for grant funding, each department had to detail how they would use the money, list the key personnel and/or outside consultant that would be managing the grant funds and purchase of equipment, and submit a governing body resolution acknowledging and approving any grant application and the proposed plan to use funds for the purchase of approved items.

“Safe clothing and gear are extremely important to firefighters’ physical and mental health,” said State Fire Marshal and Division of Fire Safety Director Richard Mikutsky in a news release. “The continuation of these grant funds means so much to these dedicated first responders, many of whom are volunteers.”

Grant applications were reviewed based on the following criteria, the governor's office aid:

• Scope of fire department need as demonstrated by equipment need, number of service calls, number of active firefighters, distressed city rating, and population of service area.
• Level of commitment to protecting firefighters as demonstrated by the local match to the grant funding and other grants for protective equipment or other firefighting projects.