By Mark Schieldrop
Patch
SMITHFIELD, R.I. — U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and Congressmen Jim Langevin and David Cicilline announced July 2 two new public safety grants totaling $143,992 for the Smithfield Fire Department and the Westerly Ambulance Corps.
Smithfield firefighters will receive $20,182 to purchase a new personal protective equipment washer/extractor and dryer to support maintenance of their firefighters’ protective gear. Contaminated gear can expose firefighters to unsafe chemicals and biological agents. This state-of-the-art commercial washer and dryer will help safely and efficiently decontaminate, wash, and dry personal protective equipment, including turnout gear, helmets, gloves, boots, face masks, and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA), without damaging this specialized gear.
The Westerly Ambulance Corps will utilize their $123,810 grant to purchase a Paramedic First Response Vehicle. When designing this vehicle during the grant process, Westerly Ambulance sought a vehicle that would have the ability to facilitate interdepartmental communication and therefore could serve as a mobile command center during larger-scale incidents.
Full story: Smithfield Firefighters Get Grant for Safety Gear Maintenance