The Marion Fire Department was awarded $4,658 in state-funded safety education grants on Wednesday, Dec. 28, announced 1st Plymouth and Bristol Senator Marc Pacheco (D-Taunton).

The grants were awarded part of the “SAFE” and “Senior SAFE” programs that teach students and seniors how to recognize and address fire safety hazards. 

According to grant reports filed with the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, the Marion Fire Department was awarded with $3,675 to “partner with local school systems to teach fire safety,” and $2,555 to make “senior center presentations and home visits with smoke/CO alarm installations.”

In 2021, the Marion Fire Department was awarded $5,974 through the same programs.

“Since 1996, grant resources awarded through this program have helped our state become a national leader in the prevention of fire emergencies,” said Pacheco. “Many thanks and congratulations to all those who contributed to these successful applications on behalf of our local communities.” 

The grants awarded to the Marion Fire Department were part of a larger $1.8 million grant payout to fire departments in 234 communities in Massachusetts, said Governor Charlie Baker in a press release. 

The SAFE program provides grants to local fire departments to teach fire and life safety to children in schools through 23 fire safety behaviors taught in developmentally appropriate ways.  Senior SAFE provides fire and life safety education aimed at reducing fire safety hazards for older adults.   

The SAFE program is designed for integration with existing math, science, language arts and health or physical education lessons in order help teachers and administrators incorporate lessons more effectively.  Since the SAFE program began in 1996, child fire deaths have dropped significantly in Massachusetts.

In 2021 there were 25,366 fires in Massachusetts, a 14% decline from 2020 where there were 29,461 fires, according to state data. Data has not yet been released for 2022. 

“The fire departments delivering these safety messages are reducing the risk of fire, injury, and tragedy in cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey. “No child has died in a Massachusetts fire since March of 2019, and fire deaths overall continue to trend downward.”