Washington, D.C. — Today, Congressman Joe Donnelly announced that the Concord Township Fire Department has received a $203,261 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to quickly hire two new, full-time firefighters. The grant is part of the Fiscal Year 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, and Donnelly wrote a letter in support of the Concord Township Fire Department’s grant application.
“I’m pleased that the Concord Township Fire Department will be able to put two more brave firefighters to work protecting the community,” said Donnelly. “This investment in Elkhart County not only puts two people back to work—it also makes our neighborhoods safer places to live. I’m pleased my office was able to help and thank all first responders in north central Indiana for their service.”
“With the award of the SAFER grant and the support from Congressman Joe Donnelly, we will be able to hire two additional staff members to fill the part-time staff positions,” said John Perry, Information Officer for the Concord Township Fire Department. “The additional staff will provide for a safer work environment on fire calls and improve the quality of our response to our service area. Fire Chief Scott Maurer and Township Trustee Mark Grabill are very appreciative for the opportunity that this grant provides our agency and wish to thank Congressman Joe Donnelly for his support.”
The Concord Township Fire Department is a combination paid/volunteer department that was organized as all volunteer in 1952. Since that time, the department has grown to 10 full-time paid staff and approximately 30 volunteers manning two full-time stations. The department currently hires part-time staff from other agencies to help staff their 24-hour shifts, but according to Perry, this creates difficulties as the part-time personnel are not very familiar with their equipment, policies, and service area. The SAFER grant awarded to the department will allow them to hire two new, full-time firefighters.
The SAFER grant program provides funding directly to volunteer, combination, and career fire departments to help these departments increase the number of frontline firefighters and rehire firefighters who were laid-off due to the economy. SAFER grants directly fund fire departments to help them increase the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER grants is to enhance local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards.
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