Vineyard Haven harbor master Jay Wilbur reported yesterday that the town has been awarded $265,306 to buy a 25-foot firefighting and patrol boat for the town harbor. The grant comes from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act security grant program signed by President Obama last February. The intent of the act is to help jump start the U.S. economy, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site. The Department of Homeland Security administers the grant.

“It is about time we have the ability to fight fires in the harbor,” the harbor master said. “What with all the ferryboat traffic and large vessels routinely coming into the harbor, this will be a great asset.”

Mr. Wilbur learned about the grant in an e-mail.

“Hopefully we will have it by next summer,” he said.