The City's fire department receives a nearly $90,000 grant for new equipment.

New Bedford Fire Chief Michael Gomes says it's the 7th year in a row the department has been awarded FEMA's Assistance to Firefighters grant.

Gomes tells WBSM News the grant will offer assistance in several areas, including preserving the hearing of firefighters, which can be damaged by loud sirens and other factors. "One of the things that we are trying to do is mitigate that by providing headphones, an intercom system, inside the truck so that the firefighters are able to communicate, but also protect their hearing from the loud noises that are involved in fire response," says Gomes.

The $89,122 grant will also purchase brand new automated external defibrillators, replacing the outdated apparatus currently carried by firefighters.

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