Courtesy Saratoga Springs Planning (2021)
Rendering of Fire Station #3.
The Saratoga Springs City Council unanimously supported applying for the Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response grant offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The vote came at the Jan. 18 city council meeting.
The SAFER program has awarded $4.8 million in grant funding for municipal fire departments and fire companies helping to staff underfunded firefighters, city documents say.
The program’s mission is to provide resources to hire new, additional firefighters or change the employment status of current firefighters from part-time or on-call to full-time, to rehire laid-off firefighters, and for recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.
Public Safety Commissioner James Montagnino said SAFER funds will be used for hiring additional firefighters, aimed at the city’s new Fire Station #3, in development now.
[Read more of our coverage here.]
He told the council that their support was needed since firefighters hired with the grant could not be laid off for a certain period, so the city had to agree to that idea.
“Adding these funds especially to the 3rd District fire station will include additional staffing,” Montagnino said. He noted that the level of training the city firefighters receive is extensive, given that all city firefighters are also emergency medical technicians, and the money could help defray some of the costs needed.
Commissioner of Finance Minita Sanghvi said she looked at the grant application and saw that it covers wages and some benefits. Some equipment, training and uniforms would have to be funded by the city. She added that she would work with the Public Safety Department to find funding.
The exact amount the fire department will ask for under the grant is still uncertain. Assistant Fire Chief Aaron Dyer said: “We’re trying to find the number that will fit for our needs and hopefully be successful.”
According to FEMA: “The objectives of the SAFER Program are to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities to respond to emergencies and assure that communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Local fire departments accomplish this by improving staffing and deployment capabilities, so they may more effectively and safely respond to emergencies. With enhanced staffing levels, recipients should experience a reduction in response times and an increase in the number of trained personnel assembled at the incident scene.”