East Haven Fire Department Awarded $2734K Through FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

EAST HAVEN, CT — Fire Chief Matt Marcarelli is a highly skilled first responder, firefighter, and fire service administrator. He's also masterful at securing federal grant monies to support fire service.

As East Haven Mayor Joseph A. Carfora says, Marcarelli does an "outstanding job identifying the needs of the fire department and pursuing outside funding to address them."

Tuesday, Carfora and Marcarelli announced that the East Haven Fire Department has been awarded $273,827.27 through the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to replace aging fire hose throughout the department's
apparatus fleet.

The total project cost is $301,210, with the town providing a $27,382.73 local cost share.

The grant will replace hose on every fire apparatus in the town and provide a complete spare hose complement for each truck. This will allow hoses used at emergency incidents to be removed from service for inspection, cleaning, and decontamination while maintaining the apparatus' operational readiness.

"This is an important investment in both firefighter safety and the equipment our firefighters depend on every day," Marcarelli said. "The ability to replace aging hose and have a spare complement available means we can properly inspect, clean, and decontaminate hose after every use without taking an apparatus out of service. I am extremely proud of our firefighters and grateful for their continued commitment to providing the best possible service to the residents of East Haven."

The East Haven Fire Department has a strong history of securing FEMA grant funding. The department received a $26,000 Assistance to Firefighters Grant in 2025 for a wildland firefighting skid unit, and previous federal awards have brought more than $1.62 million in grant funding to East Haven since 2017.

Carfora praised Marcarelli and the department for their continued success in securing federal grant funding.

"This award brings nearly $274,000 in federal funding to East Haven for a critical capital need, while requiring a town investment of just over $27,000," he said. "That is exactly the type of grant opportunity that saves local taxpayers money while making our firefighters safer."

Carforas said the grants are particularly valuable because they help municipalities address large capital purchases
that would otherwise place a much greater burden on local taxpayers.

"The credit goes to Chief Marcarelli and the men and women of the East Haven Fire Department for continuing to
identify opportunities and successfully compete for these funds."