HILLSBOROUGH – Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-07) announced Friday that the Hillsborough Fire District received a $230,400 grant from the U.S. Homeland Security Department to purchase new safety equipment. Lance made the announcement at the Hillsborough Fire Department with Hillsborough fire officials and township officials.

The funds will help underwrite the cost of purchasing 80 ultra high-band frequency portable radios, and fire officials say the new equipment tie fire officials into the Somerset County 9-1-1 system to improve communications with county first responders.

“Hillsborough firefighters dedicate their lives to serving and protecting our community – and we owe them our gratitude,” Lance said. “These important federal funds will ensure that Hillsborough’s responders have the right resources to carry out their important jobs in keeping our community safe.”

Ken Wetzel, Hillsborough’s fire commissioner and secretary of the Board of Fire Commissioners, said the township’s 140 volunteer members in the three companies respond to 1,149 emergency calls annually.

“This grant will allow the fire department to continue its outstanding job serving our community and also build on the critical services we provide,” Wetzel said. “The new radios will allow our firefighters to better communicate with officials on the ground and within the Somerset County emergency 9-1-1 system. We appreciate Congressman Lance for his support for Hillsborough and his commitment to obtaining important federal funding for our local fire department.”

Earlier this year, Lance held a special workshop for Seventh District fire personnel and local town officials to discuss the availability of federal security funding, and he regularly assists local officials in applying for those funds.