The Anne Arundel County Fire Department has been awarded federal funding through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program to support 26 additional EMT/Firefighter positions over the next three years. This marks another significant investment in the Department’s overall staffing for fire and emergency medical services provided throughout Anne Arundel County.
The additional positions will support the Department’s continued efforts to strengthen operational readiness across the county. The investment also advances the recommendations identified in the recently published Community of Risk Assessment, Standards of Coverage document.
Anne Arundel County Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford stated, “Adding 26 positions will have a positive impact across our entire response system, giving us greater flexibility to put resources where they are needed most. The SAFER grant reflects years of thoughtful operational and financial planning in collaboration with our key stakeholders. I am incredibly proud of the work and grateful to everyone who helped to get us to this point. This grant allows us to continue building on the progress we have made while positioning us to meet the needs of Anne Arundel County well into the future.”
The SAFER Grant Program administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provides funding to fire departments to help increase or maintain the number of trained frontline EMT/Firefighters available in their communities. The 26 positions will complement the staffing investments made in the past seven years by County Leadership, AACoFD Fire Department Administration and Local 1563. “We have done important work over the past eight years to grow our Fire Department, and this $4.97 million dollar award allows us to continue prioritizing the safety of our residents and our first responders by adding 26 new firefighter positions” said County Executive Steuart Pittman.
“Our residents deserve a fire department staffed to help them on their worst days, and our members deserve the resources to ensure they can go home safely at the end of every shift,” said Casey Cameron, President of IAFF Local 1563. “This federal grant is an important investment in the people who live and work here in Anne Arundel County.”
The Anne Arundel County Fire Department provides fire suppression, emergency medical services, advanced life support, rescue operations, hazardous materials response, marine operations, and fire prevention & education, among other services, throughout Anne Arundel County.