LONGMEADOW — Longmeadow was recently awarded a $292,800 grant from the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Community Mitigation Fund. The fund was created to offset the impact of MGM Springfield on surrounding communities’ roads, services and economies. This grant will be used to purchase equipment for the Police and Fire departments and pay for training.
The grant funding serves one of three categories of first responder needs. The first is the purchase of new rescue and emergency medical equipment for the Fire Department for use on two of the main thoroughfares leading into Springfield: Longmeadow Street and Interstate 91.
Assistant Town Manager Michael Barbieri said the equipment, which includes a grip hoist, pulley system, automatic CPR device and wireless radio sets, are needed, particularly as electrical vehicle fires are becoming more common. The funds also cover training to help firefighters extract, lift and stabilize people who have been in an accident.
The Police Department will benefit from $108,000 for the fourth and final phase of the town’s project to install traffic cameras along the arterial roads leading to the casino. Previous phases have also been funded through Community Mitigation grants. Phase 3 saw the installation of the infrastructure along Longmeadow Street. This phase will include the installation of cameras on Williams Street and Bliss Road where they intersect with Bliss Court and Laurel Street. It also covers some trenching for fiber optic cables and police traffic details during the installation.
The final portion of the grant provides $76,800 for active shooter training, LIDAR for vehicle speed detection and three electronic sign and message boards. Barbieri said the last of these is “crucial” in providing real-time alerts to motorists if there is a major accident, emergency or natural disaster.
Considering the tight budget that the town grappled with this year, Barbieri said this funding is greatly appreciated. “Some of these projects, like the traffic cameras, it’s very important that we close that out without seeking more town funding,” he said. He added that if a grant had not covered the active shooter training and Fire Department rescue equipment, the town would have to use taxpayer dollars to fund them. In this way, he said, the grant frees up capital funds in fiscal year 2027 for other projects.
