Lynnfield Awarded $6,900 in State Fire Safety Grants

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading) and Senator Brendan P. Crighton (D-Lynn) joined with Lynnfield Fire Chief Glenn Davis this week to announce the Lynnfield Fire Department has been awarded $6,900 in state grants to provide fire and life safety education outreach to local students and older residents.

Lynnfield received $4,700 as part of the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services’ Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) program, which was created in 1995 to help fire departments partner with their local public schools to teach students in grades pre-K through 12 about fire safety. An additional $2,200 has been allocated to the Lynnfield Fire Department under the Senior SAFE program, which was established in Fiscal Year 2014 to help fund fire safety presentations at local senior centers and councils on aging, as well as home visits to assist seniors with installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

“The Lynnfield Fire Department is grateful to the Department of Fire Services for continuing to fund the SAFE and Senior SAFE programs throughout the Commonwealth,” said Chief Davis. “The relationships that we have built and the education that we have been able to provide to our students as well as our seniors is invaluable. This community outreach would not be possible without the funding being awarded.”

“The SAFE program and the Senior SAFE program both offer valuable insight and education to some of our most vulnerable residents so they can stay safe in the event of a fire,” said Representative Jones. “These two programs help the Lynnfield Fire Department to deliver important fire safety messaging and training directly to students and seniors. This is another terrific example of a state-municipal partnership that benefits all residents of the Commonwealth.”

“Thank you to the Department of Fire Services for investing in proactive measures by providing our communities with the knowledge and tools they need,” said Senator Crighton. “We also appreciate the efforts of the Lynnfield Fire Department for turning this funding into action and for fostering a culture of prevention and preparedness."

The Lynnfield Fire Department is one of 214 municipal fire departments in Massachusetts to receive grant funding for Fiscal Year 2024. A total of $1.6 million was awarded this year, with $1,138,565.58 distributed through the SAFE program and $492,179.29 distributed through the Senior SAFE program. Both programs are funded through legislative earmarks provided to the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and are administered by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.

“Fire safety education is a smart investment in the safety of our residents and the livability of our communities,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy. “Children and older adults are historically the most at risk in a fire, but the SAFE and Senior SAFE grants are helping to provide them with the tools to protect themselves and their families.”

“I’m deeply grateful to the trained firefighter-educators who are the backbone of the SAFE and Senior SAFE programs,” said State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine. “They’ve reached hundreds of thousands of youngsters and seniors with lessons that have prevented untold tragedies. I truly believe these grants are a key factor in making Massachusetts one of the most fire-safe states in the nation.”