Hopkinton was awarded a $350,000 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Assistance to Firefighters program, the town announced Monday. The money, awarded jointly to the Hopkinton and Ashland Fire Departments, will be used to replace obsolete portable radios, bringing both departments into compliance with the National Fire Protection Association standards.

“Enhanced communications are the foundation of the fire service and crucial to the departments’ ability to complete their mission of preserving life and property from fire, medical and other emergencies,” Town Manager Norman Khumalo said in a statement.

The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations. According to the FEMA website, since 2001 AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources necessary for protecting the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.