JACKSON — The men and women of the Jackson First Aid Squad will soon be outfitted with new protective gear following the receipt of a $117,000 federal grant.
First aid officials touted the grant as a major boon for the squad and said items such as helmets, goggles, protective coats and safety boots will be purchased with funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
Officials said the grant will cover 90 percent of the cost to purchase the new equipment, with the remaining 10 percent coming out of the squad’s budget.
“This is an enormous opportunity for us. We need to keep our members safe, and this grant gives us the funding necessary to do that properly,” first aid squad Chief Alfred Coucerio said. “Every one of our members will be protected to the level recommended by national standards.”
According to the squad’s website, the service “has almost 100 members and annually answers over 2,000 calls for service during operating hours of 6 p.m. to 5 a.m.” The squad said it transports more than 1,000 individuals to hospitals each year.
The grant, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is designed to help emergency personnel and the services they provide with updated equipment, vehicles, training and other resources.
New Jersey’s U.S. senators, Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, announced the grant in a press release and said they were excited the funding was making its way to the Garden State. They cited the importance of having well trained and well equipped emergency personnel.