The Edgartown fire department has received a grant of more than $475,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The money will go toward upgrading the current cardiac monitoring equipment for all of the Island emergency medical services. The ambulances will now be supplied with advanced cardiac defibrillator monitors, he said, which will assist in transmitting patients who are having active heart attacks.

The grant was announced in a press release late last week from Massachusetts congressional representatives. Three Massachusetts towns received the grants, which were awarded under the Assistance to Firefighters Grants.

“The Edgartown fire department is the recipient of one of the largest Assistance to Firefighters Grants I have seen in my district since coming to office,” said U.S. Cong. William Keating, who represents the Cape and Islands, in the press release.  “I cannot state enough times how critical these funds are to our local communities and fire departments.  They help keep our residents and fire fighters alike safe and they ensure that we are always at the ready.”

The Edgartown fire department was the host department for the application process. The fire department will oversee the purchase and distribution of the new equipment to the other EMS services.

“I can’t express how fortunate we are in receiving these funds and what it means to the Island communities pre-hospital care,” said deputy chief Alex Schaeffer. “We can all celebrate this success and be proud that it was the result of multiple agencies working together to make it happen.”