ORANGE — The fire department will receive $435,483 thanks to a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The money will be allocated over a three-year period to hire three new firefighters to the department. The SAFER Grant program was developed to provide money to local fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist them in increasing numbers of trained front-line firefighters in various communities.
The project cost is set at $706,185, with $435,483 coming from a federal cost-share while the remainder will come from non-federal sources.
Those eligible for the grant through FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant program include local fire departments, fire districts, nonaffiliated EMS organizations, tribal fire departments and state fire training academies.
Grant applications are reviewed by fire service personnel throughout the country.