Department of Homeland Security Opens Application Period for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (Safer) Grants

Release Date: May 27, 2005

Beginning May 31, 2005, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, the Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness in the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for SAFER grants. The deadline for receipt of the SAFER grant applications will be 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 28, 2005.

The applications will be automated and will be accessible from the Web site for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program at www.firegrantsupport.com. The Web site also provides useful information on the program priorities and process that are discussed in the SAFER Program Guidance. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is being added, and will be updated as the program staff learns the areas of inquiry that are most often presented. An applicant tutorial on the SAFER grant, designed to instruct users on the preparation and submittal of competitive applications, will also be available at www.firegrantsupport.com by Monday, May 30. Applicants who have questions regarding the SAFER grant opportunities should contact the help desk at 1-866-274-0960 or at firegrants@dhs.gov. During the SAFER application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (EDT), but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume and demand.

Eligible applicants for SAFER grants include fire departments (for the hiring of firefighters) and state or local organizations as well as volunteer and combination fire departments (for volunteer recruitment and retention grants). Applicants will note that the SAFER application is very similar in appearance to the "fire grants" application, but all applicants are strongly encouraged to read the program guidance, and utilize all other materials at the AFG Web site.

The AFG is administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. Through the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2005, Congress provided $65 million for the SAFER grants.

FEMA prepares the nation for all hazards and manages federal response and recovery efforts following any national incident. FEMA also initiates mitigation activities, trains first responders, works with state and local emergency managers, and manages the National Flood Insurance Program and the U.S. Fire Administration. FEMA became part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on March 1, 2003.