The FEMA- SAFER grant, which stands for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant amounts to more than 2.8 million dollars. It will allow the Grand Rapids Fire Department to commence recruit training in January 2023.
A news release says the additional staffing will increase the safety of the citizens of Grand Rapids by adding one firefighter on each of the ladder companies that are housed at Martin Luther King Fire Station and Kalamazoo Avenue Fire Station.
Fire Chief John Lehman says quote, “This grant along with other FEMA assistance that we have been lucky enough to receive will strengthen our ability to respond to areas where we have demonstrated gaps. We are very thankful for these Federal programs which reduce the stress on our city’s budget.”
The additional staff will also assist in keeping Engine Company 2 intact and ready to respond from MLK Station.