COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

STATE SENATOR
MICHAEL O. MOORE

SECOND WORCESTER DISTRICT
State House, Room 518, Boston, MA  02133 (617) 722-1485

COMMONWEALTH OF MASACHUSETTS

STATE REPRESENTATIVE 
JOHN J. BINIENDA

SEVENTEENTH WORCESTER DISTRICT
State House, Room 166, Boston, MA 02133 (617) 722-2692

June 17, 2009

Moore, Binienda, Advocate for Leicester
Fire Station Funding 
 

BOSTON —  On Tuesday, June 15, 2009 Senator Michael O. Moore (D-Millbury) and Representative John J. Binienda (D-Worcester) voiced their advocacy to the Leicester Board of Selectmen meeting for funding, through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), for the construction of a new Fire Station 1 in the Town of Leicester.  Also in attendance at the legislators’ request was Jeffrey Simon, director of Infrastructure Investment, who works under the Patrick Administration and is responsible for all ARRA projects in the Commonwealth.

In the meeting, Mr. Simon told the Board that of the $8.7 billion received by the Governor’s office through ARRA for the Commonwealth, the Governor’s office will not be directing any of this money towards the construction of municipal buildings, including fire stations.

Despite this news, those in attendance were also told of $210 million nationally in the ARRA for the construction of new firehouses, through a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) competitive grant program.  Non-federal fire departments and state and local governments that fund and/or operate fire departments are eligible for this funding.  This program does not go through the state.  It is one of the stimulus programs that run directly from the federal government to eligible grant recipients. All grants will go directly from the Department of Homeland Security to the selected fire departments that qualify for assistance. These grants will be administered by the Assistance to Firefighters Program Office under FEMA’s Grant Programs Directorate.

“It is discouraging to hear that the Governor’s office will not be administrating any funding for the construction of new buildings with the federal stimulus money.  However, it is encouraging to hear that Leicester may have an opportunity to receive money through this competitive FEMA grant,” said Moore.  “After taking a tour of the station, I personally saw the dismal state of the facility and truly understand the urgency and dire need to replace the existing structure.  This is a public safety problem for both the fire fighters who work at Station 1 and for the residents of Leicester.  If Leicester is not eligible for this grant, we will be forced to look elsewhere in our efforts to acquire funding, but we will not give up until we get it.”

“It is my hope that the Town of Leicester will qualify for this FEMA grant, and I am encouraged that the application process is already underway,” said Binienda.  “The state of that fire station is deplorable; it’s a health risk to the firefighters, and it jeopardizes public safety as a whole.  We will continue to pursue every avenue to reserve funding for this project, and all parties involved will need to maintain their collective efforts to accomplish this tremendously important goal.”

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