Wayland Fire Dept. Receives Grant To Reduce Cancer Risk

MARLBOROUGH, MA — Wayland Fire Department is among many in the state to receive grant funding intended to help reduce firefighter exposure to cancer-causing chemicals on the job. Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito on Tuesday announced 174 fire departments would receive a total of $920,000 to use toward gear and equipment.

Wayland Fire Department will receive $2,860 for turnout gear and $5,400 for washer-extractor equipment.

The Firefighter Turnout Gear Grant program will provide firefighters in 144 departments with new hoods and gloves for structural firefighting activities. These items will reduce exposure to cancer-causing chemicals in the head and hand areas, which are high-risk areas for dangerous chemicals to enter the body.

Through the Washer-Extractor Equipment Grant, $420,000 was awarded to 75 departments to purchase new washer-extractors to clean their structural firefighting gear after exposure to smoke and other toxic chemicals. Because some of the recipient agencies will purchase regional-use machines, 84 departments will actually benefit from them.

State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said replacing worn out or damaged gear is a challenge for many fire departments.

“These grant awards will ensure that a significant number of firefighters have access to hoods and gloves that will effectively protect them from exposure to dangerous contaminants, and that is one of the best things we can do for them to reduce the risk of a future cancer diagnosis," Ostroskey said.