KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – More than $2.9 million in federal funding is heading to New Hampshire to support firefighters.
In a news release from Senator Jeanne Shaheen’s office Thursday, Shaheen, along with Senator Maggie Hassan, Congresswoman Annie Kuster, and Congressman Chris Pappas announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is allocating the funding to New Hampshire firefighters through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.
The funding to the AFG program will allow firefighters and other first responders to obtain needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources, according to the release.
More than a dozen towns or departments statewide have benefitted from the AFG program this year, including most locally the town of Langdon, which received $87,380 to purchase a firefighter breathing apparatus.
The New Hampshire Division of Fire Standards and Training and Emergency Medical Services also received $454,782 for firefighter turnout gear, training props, and other equipment.
Other towns and departments that have benefitted from the program this year include Nottingham, Portsmouth, Windham, North Conway, Berlin, Ashland, Canterbury, Salisbury, Newton, Effingham, Allenstown, Gorham, Waterville Valley, Hudson, New Hampton, Landaff, and Hollis.
“Our first responders risk their lives and sacrifice so much to keep our communities safe,” Congresswoman Kuster said in the release. “We must work to ensure they have the resources and staffing they need. FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grants are critical programs that allow fire and EMS agencies across the country to access the resources and staffing they need to save lives while reducing the financial strain on local communities.”
Similarly, earlier this summer, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 352 into law, which allocates funding to start a pilot program that will provide cancer screenings for current and former firefighters.
“…if this put a spotlight on the awareness for the cancers firefighters are facing, it’s great to see the support,” Swanzey Fire Chief Eric Mattson told WKBK at the time.
The Town of Swanzey has tried for several years to get a super majority vote on a bond that would allow for the building of a new fire station to replace the one currently housed in the basement of the town hall. Mattson said the design of that proposed building would help mitigate some of the health risks.
“…the design team gave to us a clean side and a dirty side for simple terms. This means the part of the building with the gear, equipment and vehicles are separate from the office, meeting and bedrooms,” Mattson said. “With this style of separation, we are attempting to keep the items that would have the ability to have carcinogens in them, on them, or produce them away from the personnel.”
