Waterford ― At a ceremony last Friday, the town’s fire department was awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The $95,962 will be used for confined space training and necessary equipment. The department was awarded $91,392, but the grant required the town to provide a 5% match, or $4,570.

Director of Fire Services and Fire Chief Michael Howley said various pump stations around town are technically confined spaces and said the department could potentially assist in a technical rescue at Millstone Power Station as well.

First Selectman Rob Brule and U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Second District, were on hand for the event as well.

“It was truly an honor to get chosen for this grant for out community,” Howley said. “It means a lot for our firefighters here in this community to help better serve and protect the public.”

He added that the Connecticut Fire Academy will conduct the training next spring and said the training will be open to all members of the department, including volunteers. The training is a technical certification that is specific to making rescues in confined spaces.

Howley extended his gratitude to Courtney for his efforts to help secure the funding and his continued support of firefighters.

“Anytime that we apply for grants, we reach out for our politicians in our area,” he said. “Especially like Joe Courtney who is down in D.C. who can be a proponent for us in grant funding.”

At the beginning of the year, the department submitted several FEMA grant applications for a total of more than $1.3 million. The department applied for grants for firefighter training and staffing, fire prevention and educational opportunities for the community. Howley said applying for such grants is a proactive measure.

The Assistance to Firefighters grants are awarded to fire departments nationally as a way to fund the department’s firefighting and emergency response needs. They also are awarded to emergency medical service organizations.

The grants help departments access critical equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources necessary for protecting the public and those responding to emergencies.

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