Fire District No. 1 in Tinton Falls Receives Over $100K Grant to Purchase New Protective Gear

Tinton Falls Fire District No. 1 is set to receive a federal grant for $109,000 to purchase personal protective gear for the all-volunteer force, according to borough Fire Commissioner Thomas R. Wieczerzak.

The district learned Wednesday from Rep. Rush Holt (NJ-12)  and Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04) that it would receive a portion of funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency  (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program. 

Fire District No. 1, which includes Wayside and Pine Brook fire companies, was also awarded a $1,000 grant by New Jersey American Water Company for the purchase of a new defibrillator.

The Fire District will use the grant funding to purchase sets of turnout gear, which is the personal protective gear that firefighters wear during operations at an emergency scene from fires to motor vehicle accidents. These turnout gear components include pants, jacket, boots, helmet, gloves and hood. According to Wieczerzak, turnout gear is the most expensive equipment the district has to buy on an annual basis, and it is the most important as it protects personnel.

“The funding we received from the Federal Fire Grant Program is truly the only way to fund a project like this to outfit as many firefighters that need to be fitted with new, compliant gear,” said Wieczerzak.

 The fire district covers the southern section of the borough and answers over 425 emergency call annually and covers residential, commercial areas and major roadways such as the Garden State Parkway and State Routes 36, 66, 18 and 33.

The grant was awarded to the Tinton Falls Fire District No. 1 through a competitive process in which applications were evaluated by experts in fire service, according to Holt's office.