The Mattapoisett and Marion Fire Departments are among the more than 225 towns in the state to receive fire safety grants that will allow them to reach out to students and senior citizens.

Marion received $4,265 and Mattapoisett received $6,547 for the Student Awareness of Fire Education (S.A.F.E.) and Senior SAFE programs.

Marion Fire Chief Brian Jackvony said this is the first year his department applied for the grants.

“It’s something the Fire Department and EMS wanted to reach out to the community and target at-risk seniors in the community or people living with disabilities,” said Jackvony.

With the funds, he wants to install lockboxes on the homes of senior or disabled residents that will allow fire and EMS to enter a house in an emergency.

“It doesn’t waste time or cause property damage,” Jackvony said of the boxes.

He said commercial lockboxes are already in use at some businesses in town. For the new program, the Council on Aging will help the Fire Department identify people who would benefit from the boxes.

For the student grant, Jackvony said, firefighters will go into schools a few times a year and use a new fire safety curriculum. There was already a program in place at the schools, but this year the department can improve on it.

“It’s upping our game and making sure our message gets through to the student population,” said the chief.

In Mattapoisett, the Fire Department is already well acquainted with the grants. Fire Chief Andy Murray said it’s probably the 20^th year in a row the department has been awarded the money.

“This program allows us to continue our fire prevention programs at schools, preschools, day cares and the Council on Aging,” Murray said.

Firefighters welcome the Mattapoisett kindergarteners to the station each year to teach them about 911, “stop, drop and roll,” knowing their address and other important information. They also visit each grade throughout the year, host an annual open house and go to community events.

For senior citizens, firefighters emphasize keeping chimneys cleaned, maintaining oil burners and heating systems, and keeping smoke alarms up to date.

Murray also said he’s worked with members of the community to implement reflective house numbers that help firefighters find homes in emergencies. About 400 houses now have the numbers since the program started a decade ago, according to Murray.

The Senior Safe grant is still new and only in its fourth year, but the 22-year-old S.A.F.E. program has seen results, according to the state Department of Fire Services. Three hundred forty-two children have used the education they received in emergency situations, and there is a 72 percent decrease in child deaths due to fires in the state.

As a newcomer to the program, Jackvony said he looks forward to how it will benefit his community.

“We’re happy to engage in our first venture into the Student Awareness grant and the Senior Safe Grant, and I think we’re going to see some success with it.”