FALMOUTH—The Falmouth Fire Department received a $7,427 grant to help pay for supplies to deal with the COVID-19 response. 

The funding through FEMA will assist the department in purchasing emergency medical PPE and disinfection supplies for COVID-19 response. 

“We didn’t have a huge stockpile of PPE for something like this, and this grant will cover six months of PPE costs, so it’s critical for us, we didn’t have the stockpile in the beginning, no one did,” Fire Chief Howard Rice said.

“Firefighters and EMS personnel are essential in our fight against COVID-19. Many are working overtime and putting their lives on the line to ensure our communities receive the support they need during this time,” said U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree (D-Maine), who announced the grant. “FEMA grants are always integral to the operations of Maine’s local fire departments, but they’re especially significant during a global pandemic.”

Pingree is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, where she advocates for local public safety grants, and a member of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus.