The state’s congressional delegation recently announced it has secured $648 million in federal fire grants that will benefit 15 fire departments throughout the state through – including Cranston and Johnston.

The funds from the Assistance to Firefights Grant (AFG) program and the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program will help departments acquire needed equipment ranging from fire trucks to breathing apparatus and other personal safety gear.

“Rhode Island’s brave firefighters help save lives and keep our communities safe” said Sen. Jack Reed. “We owe it to them to provide them with the best equipment and training possible.

 “This federal funding ensures our first responders have the right tools and staffing levels to do their jobs safely and effectively,” he said. “I urge the Trump administration to make all fire grant funding available to communities in a timely manner so our fire departments can effectively budget and plan for the future.”

Cranston will receive $500,000 toward vehicle acquisition for a new fire engine, and Johnston will get about $142,000 for emergency ‘bailout kits’ that help firefighters escape a burning building if they are cut off from all exits.

“Rhode Island firefighters run into danger to keep our communities safe,” Rep. Gabe Amo stated in the press release announcing the latest grants. “This federal funding will help ensure firefighters across the Ocean State have the training and tools they need to safely do their jobs. I will always fight for federal funding that keeps Rhode Island communities safe.”

Cranston Fire Chief Daniel E. Marcinko said the assistance from the federal government is critical as the cost of vehicles and other equipment continues to rise. The federal grants help take some of the burden off local budgets, he said, and in Cranston, the $500,000 grant will be used to help purchase a fire engine (also known as a pumper truck) for Station 6 on Scituate Avenue.

The truck, which will cost nearly $1 million, is much needed at the station, which serves the western side of the city, Marcinko said. Currently, he said, the station, which also has a rescue vehicle, is relying on 2006 fire engine that is more than ready for replacement. “It’s very important not just to the Fire Department, but to the city, Marcinko said.

He estimated that it will because of manufacturing backlogs, it will take at least two years to get the new truck.

“Fire departments across Rhode Island are too often they are working with outdated equipment. We owe it to them to ensure they have the tools and training they need to respond quickly and keep Rhode Islanders safe,” said Rep. Seth Magaziner. “I will continue working to bring federal resources back to our state so that local departments are not left to shoulder these costs alone.”

The ‘bailout’ kits that the Johnston Fire Department plans to purchase with its federal grant money are critical, last-resort safety equipment. Fire Chief David Iannuccilli explained that the small kits consist of a rope and anchoring devices that allow firefighters to escape the upper floors of burning buildings when there is no other way out.

The firefighters have to find a secure anchor point for the rope and then jump from a window. He said the department will soon conduct training on how to use the equipment. The department will also use the federal funds to purchase portable multi-gas meters to detect dangerous gas leaks.

“Getting the necessary safety equipment is critical,” Iannuccilli said. “We want everyone to come back safely – you can’t put a price on that.”

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said that the federal funding will help ensure that the recipient departments have “the tools and resources needed to conduct their work safely and effectively.”

The other fire departments in the state to receive federal grant money for firefighting equipment are Barrington, Central Falls, Cumberland, Exeter, Jamestown, Lincoln, Manville, Newport, Portsmouth, Providence, Prudence Island, Smithfield and Woonsocket.