Marlborough – Congresswoman Niki Tsongas announced June 14 that the Clinton and Marlborough Fire Departments have been awarded federal funding through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.
The Marlborough Fire Department will receive $22,500 for an air refill station and the Clinton Fire Department will receive $278,255 for station upgrades.
The AFG Program was created because fire departments often have difficulty purchasing proper equipment and funding training programs.
“These Fire Departments received these needed federal funds through a competitive grant process, which speaks to both the quality of their applications and the departments in general,” Tsongas said. “Given the constraints on state and local budgets, competitive grant funds such as these help to maintain public safety in our communities and provide first responders with access to the resources they need to save lives.”
Marlborough will use the federal grant monies to replace a compressor for the SCBA (self-contained breathing apparatus) compressor system, according to Fire Chief James Fortin.
“The current system was put in during the early 1990s and has long outlived its capacity. This grant opportunity could not come at a better time,” he said.
“I's grateful for Congresswoman Tsongas” efforts to work with our community and secure federal assistance to upgrade our public safety equipment,” said Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant. “Federal grant opportunities like the SCBA grant are a valuable component to supplementing our local resources and help ensure our first responders have the resources and equipment they need.”
