Fire safety quiz leads to grant

For the second year in a row, the Merrimac Fire Department has earned a $10,000 grant through Liberty Mutual Insurance’s Be Fire-Smart Safety Pledge program. From Sept. 1 through Oct. 31, about 1,175 residents visited www.befiresmart.com and answered 10 questions to test their fire safety knowledge. Fire Chief Ralph Spencer said the station will use the money to purchase protective clothing for its firefighters and expand public education, juvenile fire intervention, and community outreach. - David Cogger