Governor Maura Healey yesterday announced that 10 Massachusetts cities, including Lowell, have received funding to help ensure sufficient staffing for emergency services.
Lowell Police will receive $216,990 in funding, while the Lowell Fire Department garnered $90,750.
“Public safety is a top priority in Lowell. These grant funds will help ensure our police officers and firefighters have the staffing support they need to respond quickly, protect our residents, and keep our community safe,” said Lowell Mayor Danny Rourke. “We’re grateful to the Office of Grants and Research for this investment in Lowell, and to the men and women of the Lowell Fire and Police Departments for their dedication and service every day.”
The state funds were awarded through the Massachusetts Municipal Public Safety Staffing Program and are offered annually to cities meeting strict criteria set by the Legislature. The funds were made available on an expedited basis as part of the state’s response to the July 13 fire in Fall River that killed 10 people and injured 30 others.
Fall River is also one of the 10 communities that meet the program’s strict eligibility criteria set by the Legislature. The Office of Grants and Research (OGR), which administers the annual grant program, made funds available earlier than in past years and reviewed all applications as they were received.
“The Municipal Public Safety Staffing Program delivers funds each year to support the hiring of first responders in cities with the significant need,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Following the tragedy at Gabriel House, we were able to respond to the needs of first responders in Fall River and cities across the state to ensure police and fire departments have access to the resources they need as soon as possible.”
“We know that first responder staffing is critical to public safety,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This program allows us to deliver resources that will help our first responders as they work to protect our communities.”
In past years, recipients of these grants were able to use their awarded funds over a 12-month period from January 1 through December 31.
This year, cities were given the option to use their award over a period of up to 17 months, from August 2025 through December 2026. This allowed police and fire departments with urgent needs to access these critical funds as soon as possible. Award recipients were also given the option to continue using their funds on a 12-month timeline.
