Towns look to federal grants to help hire firefighters

The SAFER grants, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, pay the salaries of new firefighters for two year

Departments that accept the grants are required to keep the hires on for a third year at their own expense.

The numbers of applicants have risen since the recession hit. In 2009, 63 fire departments in the state applied for the grant, compared with 52 in 2008 and 55 in 2007. This year, 69 departments applied. The winners of the grant will be announced next spring.

Some departments, like Plainfield, are applying for the first time. The city of 50,000 is seeking money to hire seven firefighters.

“It’s pretty obvious that the major urban areas are in dire straits in regards to budgets,” public safety director Martin Hellwig said, noting many current firefighters are near retirement. “This would be a way of allowing us to provide public safety without direct taxpayer costs.”

Edison is applying for a second straight year, seeking to hire eight firefighters. It did not receive funding last year.

Source: http://www.nj.com