Reading Awarded State Fire Safety Grants

READING, MA — The Reading Fire Department has been awarded more than $11,700 in state grants to enhance firefighter safety and provide fire safety education for students and seniors, according to a joint press release from the Reading legislative delegation and fire department officials.

The funding includes $3,604 from the Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program, which supports departments in purchasing gear that meets current national safety standards. The department previously received $18,991 from the same program in January, bringing its total to over $22,500 for the year.

Fire Chief Gregory Burns said the grant will be used to purchase protective equipment for new firefighters, including helmets, gloves, boots and emergency rope escape systems. The department also plans to acquire vehicle extrication equipment, such as lifting air bags and stabilization tools, to improve response at crash scenes.

In addition, the department secured $5,699 through the Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE) grant program, aimed at teaching fire safety in local schools. Another $2,399 was awarded through the Senior SAFE program, which targets older residents with safety presentations and home visits.

The department's SAFE efforts focus on about 700 students in pre-K through first grade. Firefighters use a MetroFire SAFE trailer at schools to conduct hands-on lessons in a mock home environment, teaching children about escape plans, smoke safety, and kitchen hazards.

For seniors, the department works with the town’s Elder and Human Services Department to provide education on fire and fall prevention. Firefighters also assist with installing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, as well as Knox boxes and bed shakers for residents with hearing impairments.

House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading), State Representative Richard M. Haggerty (D-Woburn) and State Senator Jason M. Lewis (D-Winchester) praised the grant awards as a way to support both firefighter safety and community education.

“This grant funding will go a long way to ensuring the members of the Reading Fire Department have the proper equipment to safely perform their jobs, while also providing critical resources for the department to deliver important fire safety messaging and training directly to Reading’s students and seniors," Jones said in a statement.