MILFORD — Firefighters in Milford, Orange and West Haven are each getting $1,000 from the Regional Water Authority to buy new equipment. The water utility announced the grants Wednesday, Oct. 28, which was National First Responders Day.
Seventeen fire departments, ambulance groups and emergency service organizations across the RWA’s territory were picked to get $1,000 each, about $17,000 in all, according to the authority’s release.
What each local department is buying
- Milford Fire Department: vertical ventilation equipment to support fire response in multi-story structures.
- Orange Volunteer Fire Department: vehicle extrication equipment, the tools crews use to free people trapped in wrecked cars.
- West Haven Fire Department: a handheld sonar device for locating submerged victims during water emergencies.
Each award is for $1,000. The RWA said it is in the process of notifying the winners, and a representative will present the checks to each agency in person.
Third year for the program
The RWA launched its Emergency Responder Grant Program in 2024 to support volunteer and professional first responders in the communities it serves. The money can go toward equipment, training tools and other resources. Including this year’s awards, the authority has now given more than $47,000 to emergency service agencies across the region, and it said applications have nearly tripled since the program began.
“Strong communities depend on strong partnerships,” RWA Police Capt. Paul Ruggiero said in the release. “Our local fire departments, EMS providers, and emergency responders are trusted partners who often work side by side with us in the field, serving and protecting our residents every day. We’re honored to support their work through this grant program and help provide resources that make a meaningful difference in the field.”
Local departments have drawn on the program before. In 2024, the West Haven Fire Department received $2,000 from the RWA for cold-water rescue suits, the city announced at the time. In the 2025 round, the RWA gave the Milford Fire Department $1,000 toward firefighter helmets, according to the authority.
Who else is on this year’s list
Elsewhere in the region, the 2026 grants are going to fire departments and emergency groups in Prospect, Seymour, Guilford, Madison, Branford, East Haven, Ansonia, Derby, New Haven, Woodbridge, North Haven, North Branford, North Madison and Hamden. Their awards range from emergency pagers and hydrant valves to beach-ready stretchers, cold-water rescue suits and a firehouse training dummy.
More about the program is on the RWA’s First Responder Grants page.
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