“Salus populi suprema lex esto,†is an ancient Roman maxim, ascribed to Cicero, which translates, “Let the safety of the people be the highest law (of the nation).â€
Indeed, it is fair to say that our public safety departments rate as the most-crucial element of public service in any municipality. They are the first line of defense protecting all of us in an emergency situation.
The federal grant announced this week by Mayor Brian Arrigo allowing for the hiring of four firefighters will fill a critical gap that has existed for many years in the Revere Fire Department.
Although Mayor Arrigo and Fire Chief Chris Bright have made huge strides in reducing the number of so-called “brown-out†days (referring to periods when some fire apparatus is out-of-service because of manpower shortages), it still is unsettling (and no doubt surprising to many residents) that a gap in fire department coverage exists on a regular basis.
However, the $1.1 million SAFER grant awarded by the Department of Homeland Security will go a long way toward reducing the number of brown-out days.
We know we join with all of our fellow residents in thanking Mayor Arrigo, Chief Bright, Captain Mike Bowden, and his assistant, Paula Sarcia, for their dedication  and foresight in obtaining this important grant that will help fulfill the age-old maxim of the first duty of government service to its citizens.