Tim Ryan
09/22/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/22/2022 10:50
Congressman Ryan Announces $1.3 Million in Funding for Mogadore Fire Department
Washington, D.C. - Today, Congressman Ryan (OH-13) is announcing a federal grant of $1,301,956.45 for the Village of Mogadore from the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program of the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The SAFER program was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help increase or maintain the number of trained, frontline firefighters available to communities and to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association.
"This is great news for the Mogadore Fire Department, and especially for our dedicated firefighters and the community that will benefit from this federal investment," said Congressman Ryan. "This announcement is about supporting our frontline heroes who protect our communities, and I will always work to ensure that all of our first responders have the resources they need to do their jobs safely and effectively."
"We at the Village of Mogadore Fire Department would like to take this opportunity to thank all involved for awarding the department with the 2021 SAFER grant," said Mogadore Fire Chief John Cain. "As many of the area departments know, staffing is becoming a critical issue. The lack of part time firefighter/paramedics has caused staffing levels to drop below acceptable levels that not only puts our employees at risk but potentially delays responses to the population we serve. With this award of $1,301,946.45 we can hire five full time members that will bolster our staffing and help eliminate the staffing shortages."
Since FY 2005, the SAFER Program has awarded approximately $4.8 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources to hire new, additional firefighters, to rehire laid off firefighters or to retain firefighters facing layoff, as well as to recruit and retain volunteer firefighters. The FY 2021 SAFER Program will award another $560 million to an estimated 500 eligible fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist fire departments in increasing the number of firefighters to meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards.