Government

Brick Accepts Grants for Rescue K9 Protection, Body Armor, Opioid Settlement Proceeds

by
Daniel Nee
May 13, 2026

Brick police and EMS vehicles. (Photos: Shorebeat)

Brick Township officials on Tuesday approved the acceptance of several public safety grants and accepted a specialized donation of an innovative product to protect the township’s rescue K9s at their council meeting.

The council authorized the insertion of more than $75,000 in new revenue into the 2026 municipal budget to be appropriated for several public safety initiatives. The largest allocation is $45,150 from the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety’s Safe and Secure Communities Program Grant. The township will use the money for general public safety matters – in the past, the grant had been applied toward crossing guard and pedestrian safety coverage. Council members also accepted a $12,594 Body Armor Grant from the state to help equip police officers, and $18,956.12 from the latest round of funding from the national opioid settlements that will be dedicated to anti-drug programs.

The AceK9 Heat Alarm Pro in action. (Credit: Nevada County Sheriff’s Office)

Separately, the council accepted a donation of an AceK9 Heat Alarm Pro device, valued at approximately $1,095, from the Capital K9 Association. The specialized heat alarm will be used by the Brick Township EMS-Rescue Department. Its purpose is to monitor interior vehicle temperatures as well as vehicle battery voltage. According to the manufacturer, if the temperature in an emergency vehicle exceeds a set threshold, it triggers alerts, including an S.O.S. horn honk, siren, light-bar activation, and dual window drops.

“The township’s EMS squad participates in the state’s Urban Search and Rescue team,” said Councilman Vincent Minichino. “The unit provides a dog an assists with these calls; this donation is helpful to have when transporting and using these K9s in the rescue.”