Monies will help hire and train more frontline firefighters.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA), a Senior Member of the House Appropriations Committee announced today that the Philadelphia Fire Department (PFD) is the recipient of two federal grants totaling $18.4 million from the Department of Homeland Security.
The PFD will receive a grant for $16.3 million to hire more front line firefighters. Administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency under its Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program, the funds will make the PFD deployment ready by hiring more firefighters to bring staffing levels up that will allow for 24-hour coverage.
An additional award, $2.1 million, is administered under Homeland Security’s Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) Program. Funds from AFG are directed to local fire departments to help them secure the tools and other resources necessary to respond to fire and requests for emergency medical service teams. Keeping the public safe and healthy underscores the programs focus.
Congressman Fattah said, “Philadelphia has some of the finest firefighters in the nation and they put their lives on the line everyday to protect our neighborhoods. They must have what they need to carry out their duties and ensure the protection of our residents. These grants will do that by making sure there are enough firefighters and EMS personnel who are fully trained and have the right equipment to respond when emergencies occur.”
Over the next two years, the PFD can use funds from the SAFER program to prevent firefighter layoffs, rehire firefighters that have already been laid off, hire new personnel and recruit and retain volunteer firefighters.
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