Baker-Polito Administration Awards $527K to Equip Municipal Emergency Response Vehicles with Automated External Defibrillators
Boston – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced grants to empower local municipalities to purchase Automated External Defibrillators (AED) for public safety and first responder vehicles. $527K of state and federal funding will equip 246 vehicles serving approximately 70% of the Commonwealth’s cities and towns. This grant opportunity was made possible by state legislation authorized by Chapter 24 of the Massachusetts Acts of 2021, An Act Making Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2022.
“Our administration remains committed to making sure local public safety officials have the tools they need to save lives,” Governor Charlie Baker said. “Providing first responders with immediate access to an AED will improve cardiac patient care and improve emergency response. We thank our partners in the Legislature for their support of this program.”
“Emergency responders bring their training and expertise to scenes where every second counts,”Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito said. “t Our administration continues to focus on equipping local public safety departments with training, safety equipment, programming, and operational support. Complimenting the experience of first responders, AEDs create an opportunity to positively change a too often fatal outcome.”
An AED is a medical device used to support people experiencing sudden cardiac arrest, which is the abrupt loss of heart function in a person who may or may not have been diagnosed with heart disease. An AED analyzes the patient’s heart rhythm and, if necessary, delivers an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm. A study from the American Heart Association found that 350,000 people suffer sudden cardiac arrest outside of the hospital every year in the U.S.
“Because of actions we took in the Fiscal Year 2022 budget to invest in more AEDs for first responders, the people of the Commonwealth now have more widespread access to life-saving emergency care, saving precious minutes when time is of the essence,” State Senate Ways and Means Chair Michael J. Rodrigues (D- First Bristol and Plymouth) said. “Thank you to Senator Fattman, Senator O’Connor and my Senate colleagues for their steadfast advocacy and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security for their support of this grant program to help municipalities secure life-saving AEDs for their public safety and first responder vehicles.”
“It is critical that all of our first responder have access to AEDs,” State Senator Patrick O’Connor (R-Plymouth and Norfolk) said. “Cardiac events can happen to anyone at any time, and through the advocacy of a number of constituents who know the importance of these devices all too well, more residents will receive the help they need.”
“In districts like mine, the first to respond to emergencies are the police which is why this legislation is critically important,” State Senator Ryan Fattman (R–Worcester and Norfolk) said. “By placing an AED in police vehicles, we are providing a stronger life-saving opportunity on the front lines. I am extremely thankful and proud of our efforts and those of Senate Ways and Means Chair Rodrigues and Senator O’Connor for supporting this legislation and to the Greenwood and Ellsessar families for turning personal tragedy into a force for good.”
OGR received significant interest from municipalities for this grant opportunity. As part of its competitive process, OGR recommended funding for all 246 applicants. Although the total funding requested exceeded the allocated state funds, Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy authorized the use of federal Edward J. Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program funds to meet the $27K difference and deliver AEDs to all grant applicants. support all requests. Of the 246 awards, 12 applicants received federal JAG funding.
The grant awardees are as follows:
| Awardee | Award Amount |
| Abington Police Department | $1,846.00 |
| Acton Fire Department | $1,719.40 |
| Adams Fire Department | $2,113.15 |
| Agawam Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Alford Fire Department | $1,649.95 |
| Amherst: Community Responders forEquity, Safety & Service Department | $2,500.00 |
| Andover Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Arlington Fire Department | $1,495.00 |
| Ashburnham Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Ashby Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Ashland Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Athol Fire Department | $2,272.95 |
| Auburn Fire Department | $2,427.99 |
| Ayer Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Barre Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Becket Police Department | $2,497.10 |
| Belchertown Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Bellingham Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Belmont Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Berkley Fire Department | $2,206.60 |
| Berlin Fire Department | $1,942.00 |
| Beverly Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Billerica Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Blandford Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Bolton Police Department | $2,329.50 |
| Bourne Fire Department | $2,206.60 |
| Boxborough Fire Department | $1,582.00 |
| Boxford Fire Department | $2,305.40 |
| Boylston Fire Department | $1,714.83 |
| Braintree Fire Department | $1,884.38 |
| Brewster Fire Department | $1,640.00 |
| Brimfield Fire Department | $1,699.00 |
| Brookfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Brookline Police Department | $1,622.38 |
| Buckland Police Department | $1,749.00 |
| Canton Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Carlisle Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Carver Police Department | $2,366.40 |
| Charlton Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Chatham Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Chelmsford Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Chelsea Police Department | $1,945.00 |
| Cheshire Fire Department | $2,479.99 |
| Chester Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Chesterfield Fire Department | $545.00 |
| Chicopee Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Chilmark Fire Department | $1,850.00 |
| Cohasset Police Department | $1,411.00 |
| Concord Fire Department | $1,522.00 |
| Danvers Harbormaster | $2,305.40 |
| Dartmouth Police Department | $1,622.38 |
| Deerfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Dennis Fire Department | $2,172.20 |
| Douglas Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Dover Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Dracut Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Dudley Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Dunstable Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Duxbury Police Department | $1,529.00 |
| East Brookfield Police Department | $1,495.00 |
| East Longmeadow Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Eastham Fire Department | $2,206.60 |
| Easthampton Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Erving Fire Department | $1,699.00 |
| Essex Police Department | $2,305.40 |
| Everett Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Fairhaven Police Department | $2,012.75 |
| Falmouth Fire Rescue Department | $2,179.60 |
| Fitchburg Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Foxborough Fire Department | $1,195.00 |
| Framingham Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Franklin Police Department | $2,111.75 |
| Freetown Fire Department | $1,665.00 |
| Gardner Fire Department | $2,427.99 |
| Georgetown Police Department | $1,896.25 |
| Gill Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Goshen Fire Department | $1,882.00 |
| Grafton Fire Department | $1,722.20 |
| Granby Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Granville Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Great Barrington Fire Department | $2,363.05 |
| Greenfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Groveland Police Department | $1,348.00 |
| Hamilton Fire Department | $2,305.40 |
| Hampden Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Hanover Fire Department | $1,141.00 |
| Hanson Fire Department | $2,079.15 |
| Harvard Fire Department | $1,847.09 |
| Hatfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Haverhill Fire Department | $1,474.51 |
| Hawley Fire Department | $2,000.00 |
| Hingham Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Holbrook Police Department | $1,405.00 |
| Holden Fire Department | $2,329.55 |
| Holland Police Department | $1,714.12 |
| Holliston Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Holyoke Police Department | $2,420.42 |
| Hopkinton Police Department | $1,745.00 |
| Hubbardston Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Hudson Police Department | $1,350.00 |
| Hyannis/Barnstable Police Department | $2,206.60 |
| Ipswich Fire Department | $2,305.40 |
| Kingston Police Department | $2,206.60 |
| Lanesborough Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Lawrence Police Department | $1,450.00 |
| Lee Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Leverett Fire Department | $2,125.29 |
| Lexington Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Lincoln Fire Department | $1,573.00 |
| Ludlow Police Department | $1,954.00 |
| Lunenburg Fire Department | $2,116.91 |
| Lynn Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Lynnfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Malden Fire Department | $1,350.00 |
| Mansfield Police Department | $1,577.38 |
| Marblehead Fire Department | $2,499.05 |
| Marion Fire Department | $2,108.00 |
| Marshfield Police Department | $1,890.70 |
| Mattapoisett Police Department | $1,577.38 |
| Maynard Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Medfield Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Melrose Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Mendon Fire Department | $2,329.55 |
| Merrimac Fire Department | $1,871.25 |
| Methuen Fire Department | $1,972.05 |
| Middlefield Police Department | $1,495.00 |
| Milford Fire Department | $1,545.32 |
| Millbury Police Department | $1,592.20 |
| Millis Police Department | $1,450.85 |
| Millville Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Monson Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Nahant Fire Department | $1,587.69 |
| New Ashford Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| New Bedford Police Department | $1,529.32 |
| New Braintree Police Department | $1,608.00 |
| New Marlborough Fire Department | $2,340.00 |
| New Salem Police Department | $3,012.98 |
| Newbury Fire Department | $2,305.40 |
| Newton Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| North Adams Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| North Andover Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| North Attleboro Police Department | $2,206.60 |
| North Brookfield Police Department | $1,980.00 |
| North Reading Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Northfield Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Norton Police Department | $1,305.00 |
| Norwell Fire Department | $1,536.00 |
| Norwood Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Oakham Fire Department | $1,980.00 |
| Orleans Police Department | $2,206.60 |
| Otis Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Palmer Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Paxton Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Pelham Police Department | $1,670.75 |
| Pembroke Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Pepperell Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Pittsfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Plainfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Plymouth Fire Department | $2,278.90 |
| Plympton Fire Department | $2,490.00 |
| Princeton Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Provincetown Police Department | $2,108.00 |
| Randolph Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Raynham Police Department | $2,108.00 |
| Reading Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Revere Fire Department | $1,714.12 |
| Richmond Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Rochester Fire Department | $2,108.00 |
| Rockland Police Department | $2,224.20 |
| Rockport EMS-Ambulance Department | $2,305.40 |
| Rowley Police Department | $2,397.00 |
| Royalston Fire Department | $2,329.60 |
| Russell Police Department | $1,938.00 |
| Rutland Police Department | $698.00 |
| Salem Police Department | $1,250.27 |
| Salisbury Fire Department | $2,305.40 |
| Sandisfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Scituate Fire Department | $1,442.04 |
| Seekonk Police Department | $1,785.75 |
| Sharon Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Sheffield Police Department | $1,495.00 |
| Somerset Fire Department | $2,108.00 |
| Somerville Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| South Hadley Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Southampton Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Southborough Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Southbridge Fire Department | $1,942.00 |
| Spencer Police Department | $1,153.00 |
| Springfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Sterling Fire Department | $2,327.60 |
| Stockbridge Fire Department | $1,695.00 |
| Stoneham Police Department | $1,873.75 |
| Stoughton Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Stow Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Sturbridge Police Department | $1,940.55 |
| Sudbury Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Sunderland Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Sutton Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Swampscott Police Department | $1,439.77 |
| Swansea Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Taunton Fire Department | $2,136.00 |
| Templeton Police Department | $2,329.59 |
| Townsend Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Tyngsborough Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Uxbridge Fire Department | $2,493.00 |
| Wakefield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Wales Fire Department | $1,699.00 |
| Warren Police Department | $1,613.00 |
| Warwick Fire Department | $1,794.00 |
| Washington Police Department | $2,497.10 |
| Wayland Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Webster Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Wellesley Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Wellfleet Fire Department | $2,221.50 |
| Wendell Fire Department | $1,540.32 |
| Wenham Police Department | $1,622.38 |
| West Boylston Police Department | $2,329.59 |
| West Bridgewater Fire Department | $2,108.00 |
| West Brookfield Fire Department | $1,397.50 |
| West Springfield Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| West Stockbridge Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Westborough Fire Department | $2,052.80 |
| Westminster Fire Department | $2,329.59 |
| Weston Police Department | $2,395.00 |
| Westport Police Department | $1,577.51 |
| Weymouth Parks and Recreation Department | $895.00 |
| Whately Fire Department | $2,125.53 |
| Whitman Fire Department | $2,498.15 |
| Wilbraham Police Department | $2,318.35 |
| Williamsburg Fire Department | $2,468.00 |
| Winchendon Fire Department | $2,272.95 |
| Winthrop Fire Department | $2,469.19 |
| Worthington Police Department | $2,500.00 |
| Wrentham Fire Department | $1,717.81 |
| Total State Funds | $499,921.00 |
| Awardee | Award Amount |
| Commonwealth of Mass Military Division, JBCC Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Barnstable Fire District | $2,500.00 |
| Centerville- Osterville- Marstons Mills Fire District | $2,180.00 |
| Devens Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Easton Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Hadley Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Hyannis Fire District | $2,206.60 |
| Oak Bluffs Fire/EMT | $2,095.00 |
| Phillipston Fire Department | $2,021.00 |
| Sherborn Fire Department | $2,085.00 |
| Shirley Fire Department | $2,500.00 |
| Yarmouth Police Department | $1,563.00 |
| Total Federal Funds | $27,150.60 |
