Updated 2:20 pm Friday, May 17, 2013
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the Edgartown Fire Department a $476,425 grant for ambulance equipment. While Edgartown deputy fire chief Alex Schaefer led the grant application process, the grant was a joint venture among all Island ambulance services. The money will help provide advanced cardiac defibrilators for every ambulance on Martha’s Vineyard.
“Thanks to these funds every ambulance will now have the most advanced cardiac defibrillator monitors available,” Mr. Schaefer said in a news release. “We will also have the capability of transmitting critical EKG’s to the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. We can all celebrate this success and be proud that it was the result of multiple agencies working together to make it happen.”
Congressman Bill Keating, whose district includes Martha’s Vineyard, joined the rest of the Massachusetts congressional delegation in announcing the grant Thursday.
“The Edgartown Fire Department is the recipient of one of the largest Assistance to Firefighters Grants I have seen in my district since coming to office,” Rep. Keating said in a news release issued Thursday. “I cannot state enough times how critical these funds are to our local communities and fire departments. They help keep our residents and firefighters alike safe and they ensure that we are always at the ready.”
The FEMA program awards funds to local fire and ambulance departments for equipment and resources they need to respond to emergencies, according to a press release. The grants can be used for protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources.
This article was updated to reflect how the grant money will be used.
