You’ve Got To Admit, It’s Getting SAFER

According to County Administrator Anthony Romanello, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has approved the county’s reduced request for grant money. Stafford officials had originally asked for enough money to add 14 new firefighters–enough to staff an engine 24/7. Some supervisors thought that was too much, considering the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant funds the positions for two years but requires the locality to pick up the tab for a third year. That would have amounted to about $1 million for Stafford to pony up in 2013.

So if supervisors agree to accept the revised grant, the county would get seven firefighters on the federal dime for two years, then pay $500,000 to keep them a third. What happens to the firefighters after that is up to the board.

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