The application period for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants is now open and will continue until 5:00 p.m. eastern daylight time on June 30, 2006.
The SAFER program provides grants to fire departments for hiring personnel and to fire departments and regional and state fire associations to implement volunteer recruitment and retention programs. Disbursed over a five-year period, SAFER grant money decreases annually and is gradually replaced with local dollars until the fire department bears the entire cost.
Eligible applicants include state and local organizations, as well as career, combination and volunteer fire departments. Applications are ranked by an impartial panel of firefighters to ensure the grant money is distributed where it is needed most.
Applications are accessible at www.firegrantsupport.com.