The Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation Announces Its 2020 Grants for Fire Departments

We are proud to announce our 2020 Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation Grants to fire departments. These grants will provide Personal Safety Systems (PSS) to firefighters.

Our 2020 grantees include:

In partnership with the Leary Firefighters Foundation:» Village of Spring Valley
     Volunteer Fire Department (NY)
» Ventnor City Fire Department (NJ)
» Port Jervis Fire Department (NY)

In Partnership with Fire Hooks Unlimited:» City of Erie Fire Department (PA)
» Manchester Fire-Rescue-EMS (CT)
» Borough of Prospect Park Fire Department (NJ)
» South Hutchinson Fire Department (KS)
» Shady Valley Volunteer Fire Department (TN)
» East 52 Celina Volunteer Fire Department (TN)
» Mansfield Fire Department (OH)
» Sabattus Fire Department (ME)
» Central Stickney Fire Protection District (IL)
» Town of Dover Fire Department (NJ)
» Westfall Township Fire Department (PA)
» Richland Township Volunteer Fire Department (PA)

Now in it its seventh year, the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation grant program has awarded over $610,000 to departments in need. Established in Joey’s memory in 2013, the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation holds training events that promote firefighter to raise funds to support its grant program. It also relies on the generous support of our sponsors and partners to help train and equip firefighters.

In 2005, Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo, known to his friends and colleagues as “Joey D,” was critically injured in a Bronx apartment fire where two firefighters died, and three others were also badly injured. A personal safety rope system, carried by fellow Rescue 3 Firefighter Jeff Cool, helped both Joey and Jeff to escape the flames by lowering themselves as far as they could from the four-story jump. After the incident, Joey traveled around the country training firefighters and sharing his story to help other firefighters. His foundation will continue this work, helping firefighters in the United States and Canada.

“Our Foundation works to prevent another ‘Black Sunday’ from occurring. With support from our grant partners, sponsors, and donors we not only keep more firefighters safe, but we honor Joey’s legacy. My family and I would like to thank everyone who has supported the Foundation and our work over the years,” says Chief Joe DiBernardo, Foundation President and Joey’s father.

The Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation will continue to train firefighters and provide grants to departments to ensure the safety of firefighters across the United States and Canada. To learn more about the Lt. Joseph P. DiBernardo Memorial Foundation’s grant program for personal life safety rope systems or to apply visit: www.joeydfoundation.org.