U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards assistance to firefighter grant funds to local department
Mar 19, 2023 07:51PM ● By WNC Business
The grant will go to the Town of Spindale Fire Department in Rutherford County and comes in the sixth round of the FY 2021 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant awards. These grants assist local fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies whenever they may occur. Local departments apply for the grants from the program which is administered by the Grant Programs Directorate of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.
Spindale Fire Chief Jamie Guillermo said the SAFER Grant will be used to fund initiatives aimed at recruiting new volunteers and keeping current volunteer firefighters active. These include purchase of new turnout gear for each new recruit and an increase in the per-call stipend paid to volunteers.
“SAFER Grants are the most competitive of any AFG Grant so it is a tremendous accomplishment by the whole team in Spindale to put forth a successful grant application,” said Congressman McHenry. “Volunteer recruitment is proving to be difficult nationwide and this grant will provide needed assistance to both recruit new volunteers and retain experienced firefighters.”
A panel of fire experts at DHS awards SAFER grants through a competitive review process. Congressman McHenry hosts workshops for Tenth District EMS and fire departments to help guide personnel through the process and give them an inside view of what the committee looks for. The workshops are taught by Tenth District fire service professionals.
Spindale is one of two Tenth District departments to receive SAFER funding thus far during the FY 2023 cycle with a total of $492,880 having been awarded among those departments.
Grants will continue to be announced in weekly rounds through the coming months.
Source: Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce