Congresswoman Matsui Announces $11 Million in Federal Grants to Hire 51 Local Firefighters

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 24, 2011

CONTACT: MARA LEE
(202) 225-7163

CA Today, Congresswoman Doris Matsui (D-Sacramento) announced that the Sacramento Fire Department and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District have been awarded $11 million in federal grants to hire 51 additional firefighters for the Sacramento region. Congresswoman Matsui was joined at the press conference by Sacramento Fire Department Chief Ray Jones and Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District Chief William Sponable at the Sacramento Fire Department Headquarters this morning to announce the grants.

It is my pleasure to announce that the Sacramento Fire Department and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District together have been awarded $11 million in federal grants to hire 51 additional firefighters for the Sacramento region, said Congresswoman Matsui. Here in Sacramento, our firefighters are on the front lines protecting us all. Now, with the hiring of 51 new responders, we will be able to keep our squads safe, well-rested, keep morale high, and protect our community during times of disaster and distress.

Through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program, the Sacramento Fire Department was awarded $5,606,864 to hire 27 firefighters and restore two fire companies. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District was awarded $5,470,824 to hire 24 firefighters. The SAFER grant is awarded annually through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase their cadre of frontline firefighters. The goal is to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities so they may respond to emergencies whenever they occur, assuring their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

I am extremely excited about this grant and what it means for both the citizens of our community and our firefighters, said Chief Ray Jones, City of Sacramento Fire Department. The grant money will make our communities safer for emergency response by restoring two browned out companies; and improving response time. This is a winning situation on all fronts.

This SAFER grant awarded to Metro Fire will save lives! said Chief William Sponable, Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District. While current economic times remain challenging this grant will provide Metro Fire the ability to hire new firefighters, replacing those we have lost through attrition over the past several years. These firefighters will be used to staff two additional truck companies that will increase public safety and provide additional fire ground safety for our firefighters.

Congresswoman Matsui has been a strong proponent of the SAFER grant program over the years and helped secure the federal funding by writing a letter of support on behalf of the Sacramento Fire Department in 2010.