5-23-2022 1:01pm

$10 Million Worth of PPE for NJ Firefighters

Last week, Governor Murphy visited the Hackensack Fire Department to announce the new Firefighter Grant Program which will provide fire departments and first responders with protective, cleaning, and sanitation equipment.

“Our members are the first line of defense for our great State. This grant will help ensure our [firefighters] are protected from carcinogens and viral outbreaks while performing our duties,” said NJ FMBA President Ed Donnelly.

The Firefighter Grant Program aims to better protect firefighters from not just fires and other hazards, but against deadly pathogens as well.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020, firefighters have faced additional health and safety risks and a growing need for high-quality protection equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE) and toxic-chemical-free clothing ensembles, helmets, glove, and boots.

Grants of up to $75,000, administered by the Division of Local Government Services within DCA, will be funded by $10 million in American Rescue Plan State Fiscal Recovery Funds.

Grant awards will prioritize volunteer fire departments, as well as departments in communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic.

“We're now clawing back even more federal dollars to support our local fire departments and first responders, particularly for our smaller ones where resources are even more stretched. This critical investment will not only keep our communities, families, and brave first responders safe, but it will also help lower our property taxes and make life more affordable for Jersey families,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer, a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.

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