When local fire departments need breathing apparatus, radios or medical equipment, the costs compete with every other town priority. A new round of federal Assistance to Firefighters Grants is set to direct about $3.67 million to 27 New Hampshire jurisdictions and agencies, with projects ranging from a tanker in Hancock to paramedic training in Seabrook and cardiac monitors in Colebrook.

The list also includes protective gear, training equipment and radios. Those purchases matter because emergency response depends on more than the fire engine: crews need equipment that protects them and tools that help them communicate and treat patients. The awards are planned uses; towns and agencies still need to carry out purchases under federal grant requirements, and there is no single statewide completion date.

NorthEast News reviewed the award list and what it could mean for communities from the North Country to the Seacoast:

How federal grants may help 27 New Hampshire fire and EMS agencies