From Wellesley Fire Chief Rick DeLorie:

Wellesley Fire Department Earns State Grants for Fire Education Programs

As Fire Chief, I am pleased to announce that the Wellesley Fire Department has earned two grants that will help augment the department’s ongoing Fire Safety Education. These grants will support our goal to keep our most vulnerable in our community; children to seniors safe as possible with valuable fire and life safety education.

On Behalf of the Fire Department, I received a letter from Governor Baker congratulating our department on being awarded grants from the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services of $4,308 for its S.A.F.E. Program and an additional $2,615 for its Senior S.A.F.E. Program. We also appreciate the legislative support for the SAFE and Senior SAFE grant programs from our Representative Alice Peisch, Senator Cynthia Creem, and Senator Richard Ross.

The S.A.F.E. Program is a state initiative designed to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs for children in kindergarten through 12th grade. The program aims to educate students to recognize fire risks and teach key safety behaviors that should be used anytime a child comes into contact with a fire or other types of emergencies. A few of the most notable SAFE programs are the Wellesley Fire Youth Rescuer Summer Program, July Jubilation, and the Fire Prevention week in the schools.

Senior S.A.F.E. is a similar program that was created to support fire safety education specifically for older adults, who are most at risk of dying in a fire in Massachusetts. The program builds on the success of the original S.A.F.E. program and helps forge a connection between fire departments and a variety of senior support agencies working in their communities. Two of the most notable Senior SAFE programs are the Senior Citizens Thanksgiving Dinner / Fire Prevention program and the Senior Pancake Breakfast Senior Safety Presentation.

S.A.F.E. and Senior S.A.F.E. are key grant programs that have made a difference in our community. I am very proud of all of our personnel that support these programs and many attend these community events off duty. The primary Fire Prevention Educators are Lt Paul Delaney and Lt Matt Corda who are amazing at working so creatively to engage with residents. Lt Delaney did a great job again this year applying for the safety education grants, and I’m very pleased that our fire and life safety education programs continue to be augmented by grant funding.