Stay updated with breaking news from Brian ruel. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
GORHAM â The Gorham Fire Department will receive a $29,866 grant to buy lifesaving extrication equipment, often called the âJaws of Life,â from the nonprofit Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. Fire Chief Phil Cloutier, who wrote the application, learned it is one of only 96 grants awarded in this latest nationwide funding round. The equipment is designed to safely and efficiently remove drivers and passengers trapped in motor vehicles at serious accident sites, fulfilling a critical need within the department. When town manager Denise Vallee announced the award at the Jan. 11 selectmenâs meeting, chairman Mike Waddell, and selectmen Judy LeBlanc and Adam White thanked the chief for his ongoing fundraising successes. In 2020, GPD was awarded both a $134,600 FEMA grant to buy multiple self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), also known as air packs, and a $10,000 grant for firefightersâ turnout gear from a community foundation supported by TC Energy, the corporation under which the Portland Natural Gas Transmission System now operates.