RANDOLPH — Chief Ronald Cassford is pleased to share that the Randolph Fire Department has received grant funding through the Firefighter Safety Equipment, Student Awareness of Fire Education (SAFE), and Senior SAFE Programs.
The Firefighter Safety Equipment Grant program reimburses purchases of eligible equipment. Purchasing this equipment often helps departments comply with Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) or National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) safety standards. The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security and the State Fire Marshal’s Office administer the funds.
The department will use its $12,474 of second-round grant funding to purchase a personnel fire ground accountability system, which ensures firefighter safety by tracking their locations during an incident, EMS/extrication gloves for all members, a thermal imaging camera, and a clothes/gear dryer.
The Randolph Fire Department also received funding from the SAFE and Senior SAFE program grants.
The SAFE program provides grants to local fire departments to teach fire and life safety to children in schools, with protection education lessons that increase in complexity with each grade level. The program teaches students to recognize the dangers of fire and the fire hazards of tobacco products through 23 key fire safety behaviors. Since it began in 1995, the program has been linked to a 79% decrease in child fire fatalities.
The $7,200 of SAFE Program funding will allow Randolph firefighters to visit elementary schools and teach fire safety to K-3 students during the school year.
Senior SAFE is a similar program that aims to reduce fire-related deaths in older people by providing fire and life safety education within older demographics. These programs visit senior centers, councils on aging, and home visits and can include services like smoke and carbon monoxide alarm replacement, fall prevention education, and more.
The Randolph Fire Department will use its $2,600 Senior SAFE funding to perform safety, smoke alarm, and CO2 alarm checks for older residents.
“The grant funding we’ve received will help us immensely to continue protecting our community,” Chief Cassford said. “Not only can we purchase new equipment to keep our firefighters safe, but we’re also able to continue visiting schools and seniors to teach about fire safety and assist in whatever way we can. We are grateful to these grant programs and the opportunities they provide us with.”
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