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More Jobs Saved or Restored With SAFER Grant Awards
May 21, 2010 -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has awarded more than $12 million in grants through the Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response (SAFER) program for Fiscal Year 2009. The grant awards announced May 21 will help some fire departments bring back laid-off fire fighters.
“It is always good news when these grants are announced, but this round is of special importance for some of our affiliates who have been waiting a long time to hear the news. I am especially pleased to see laid-off fire fighters returning to the job,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger.
“I know we have departments that are waiting to hear about awards, and I want to assure those IAFF affiliates that more grant announcements are imminent and are prioritized so that fire departments that have had layoffs are getting the highest priority and receiving their funding first.”
Akron, Ohio, which was among the awards announced May 21, laid off 38 Akron Local 330 fire fighters in October 2009 to offset a projected budget deficit. With the support of U.S. Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH) and others, the Akron Fire Department was awarded $6 million – the full amount requested in its grant application.
Other IAFF affiliates receiving awards are: Carmel Valley, CA Local 4096 with $772,000; San Bernardino City, CA Local 891 with $2.7 million; Edwardsville, KS (represented by Kansas City, KS Local 64) with $218,000; Huntington, IN Local 680 with $817,000; Farmington Hills, MI Local 2659 with $289,000; Muskegon Heights, MI Local 615 with $397,000; and Niles, OH Local 320 with $240,000.
In April, the Orlando Fire Department received an $8.3 million SAFER grant to save the jobs of 46 Orlando, FL Local 1365 fire fighters who have faced the threat of layoffs for close to a year.
“It is no exaggeration that those guys were gone without this grant. This is a huge relief,” says Local 1365 President Steve Clelland.
Other awards announced in April include Columbia, SC Local 793 with $1.4 million; Los Angeles County, CA Local 1014 with $3.5 million; Grand Rapids, MI Local 366 with $2.9 million; and Worcester, MA Local 1009 with $2.2 million.
Click here for a complete list of departments that have received a SAFER grant for Fiscal Year 2009.
Once a round of awards is determined, the fire department/municipality must notify the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that it has accepted the grant. FEMA must then give Congress three days notice before the official public announcement is made.
SAFER grants for Fiscal Year 2010 could be made available as soon as this summer.
For additional information or assistance, contact Jennifer Stewart at (202) 824-8631 or jstewart@iaff.org.
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