Overhead view of Sacramento

Congresswoman Matsui Announces More Than $5.6 Million Federal Award to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District

October 4, 2017
Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 21, 2012

CONTACT:
Jonelle Trimmer (Rep. Matsui) 202.225.7163
Michelle Eidam (Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District) 916.616.2432

Congresswoman Matsui Announces More Than $5.6 Million Federal Award to Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District

Funds will be used to employ 24 firefighters

CA - Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) today announced that the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District has received a $5,606,864 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) FY 2012 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The grant will be used to hire 24 additional firefighters.

"This funding is an example of the federal government's commitment to our community's public safety," said Congresswoman Matsui. "Our fire departments are too important to be left under-staffed. I am pleased that this funding will allow Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District to strengthen its workforce, create jobs and help ensure our firefighters and first responders have the necessary personnel to keep our community - and each other - safe."

The SAFER grant is awarded annually through 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. In FY 2011, the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District received $5.4 million to employ 24 firefighters.

Sacramento Metropolitan Fire Chief Kurt P. Henke stated, "We are extremely grateful for Congresswoman Matsuiand#39;s commitment to public safety and her assistance with our SAFER grant award. The recessionand#39;s prolonged and severe impact on tax revenue have forced painful cuts in services, at a time when the demand for emergency services is at an all-time high. This award will help us better protect the communities we serve by putting two of the six engines we were forced to close back into service during the two-year grant period."

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