Woodbury, Minnesota Seeks Firefighting Grants

Woodbury is asking for a little firefighting help.

Anticipating that it will want to add three full-time firefighters next year to the seven already on duty, the city's public safety department is applying for five-year, $100,000 federal grants to help cover the new costs and increase service.

More full-time firefighters "would allow us to cover more hours," said Woodbury Public Safety Director William Hering.

Two full-time firefighters are on duty between 5 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day, Hering said, and on-call volunteer firefighters respond to calls at other times.

The department has nearly 60 on-call firefighters the same number it had 15 years ago when Woodbury's population was about 21,000, or less than half of what it is today, and the city was much less developed.

Department officials are working out exactly how having the new firefighters would change its coverage and scheduling if they are added, Hering said. Full-time firefighters now are scheduled to work three days and then have three days off.

The federal grant would come through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, which helps departments hire and recruit personnel and boost staffing.

Woodbury officials have said repeatedly that an adequate number of public safety personnel are needed to accommodate the city's growing population.

To address personnel needs, the public safety department has been involved in a months-long fire and emergency medical services staffing study regarding response time, types of calls received and the area's demographics, among other things.

Those on the task force are expected to present findings next month along with potential solutions. Department officials say a recommendation to hire more full-time firefighters is likely, which is where SAFER grants could come in handy.

The city could receive up to $100,000 per position over the grant's five-year period and would have to maintain the positions or else risk losing all or a portion of the grant.

The public-safety department already has requested $220,000 in the proposed 2006 budget for the three new firefighters. If the grant is awarded, it would reduce the city's 2006 budget commitment by about half for each position, although the city's share would increase incrementally over the next four years.

For example, the city would pay $38,000 the first year toward each position which includes benefits and operating costs while the grant covered $36,000. The city's share would grow to about $42,000 in the second year, while the grant's share would decline to $32,000, and in the fifth year, the city would foot the entire bill.

The federal grant office has received applications for more than $30 million in aid as of mid-June, officials have said. Congress appropriated $65 million for the grants.

Woodbury Fire Chief Mike Richardson noted the grant process is highly competitive, and Hering said the city should have an answer by fall.

Distributed by the Associated Press