The City of Wildwood Fire Department recently received a grant under the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant or AFG program. The grant awarded is in the amount of $230,000 and will be used to purchase new radios for City firefighters. The new radios will meet the latest industry standards and are specifically designed for use by firefighters in hazardous environments. A City match of 5% or $11,500 is required to receive the $230,000.
The City of Wildwood Police Department is also the recipient of a major grant award of $101,900 from the SF21 Body-Worn Camera Grant Program. Under this grant, our police officers will be fully equipped with body cameras whereas presently only about half of our officers have body cams. Our officers will now be guaranteed this protection in the line of duty. The City would have to buy this much-needed equipment either way, but those monies would be in addition to the approved budget. Further, this grant did not require a match from the City.
The total $331,900 savings to the City is equivalent to a taxpayer savings of about 2.5 cents.
Commissioner of Public Safety Steve Mikulski stated, “I couldn’t be prouder of these departments and their tenacity to pursue grants that keep them running without increasing taxpayer contributions.”