Fire Department Awarded $86K by FEMA

U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell announced last week that the South Orange Fire Department has been awarded its second Firefighter Investment Response Enhancement (FIRE) grant to the tune of $86,210. 

“This is a worthy federal investment that will improve public safety without increasing the tax burden in economically stressed municipalities,” said Pascrell, in a press release. The other grant recipient in his district is Totowa, which was awarded $93,866.

Funding in South Orange will be used to provide firefighters with comprehensive health screenings and fitness equipment to help mitigate heart disease, which accounts for 45 percent of on-duty firefighter deaths. This is the second FIRE grant South Orange has received for a total of about $185,210.       

According to South Orange Fire Chief Jeff Markey, the department has been developing a fitness and nutritional program for firefighters in tandem with Kevin Malley, a professor of fire science at New Jersey City University and a retired New York City firefighter. New exercise equipment will be placed on the third floor of the remodeled firehouse.

The FIRE grant program is administered by FEMA, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security.

As part of the FIRE grant application, applicants must demonstrate financial need and articulate the benefits to be derived from potential grants. Pascrell’s office hosted a grant-writing workshop with the Department of Homeland Security at the Passaic County Public Safety facility in February to assist local departments complete their applications.  More than 80 first responders from Passaic and Essex counties participated.