TOLEDO, Ohio — Nearly $3 million in funds have been awarded to the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department through FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program.
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur announced the federal grant in a statement today. The funds will go toward hiring new firefighters for TFRD, who had applied for the competitive grant.
“It is my honor to announce that Toledo’s Fire and Rescue Department has been awarded nearly three million dollars to invest in the hiring of new firefighters to the department,” said Kaptur. “Whether it is a fire, health emergencies, a flood or a car accident, we depend on first responders at Toledo Fire and Rescue to keep our families and community safe. I am pleased to see this federal funding put to exceptional use in our city.”
The grant allowed TFRD to expand its upcoming recruiting class to 50 recruits.
“This grant allows us to add 10 additional firefighters to our April 2021 recruit class in a time where our run volume is steadily increasing as well as COVID19 demands,” said Fire Chief Brian Byrd. “When complete with their initial training, the April 2021 fire recruit class will bolster daily staffing, aid in reducing overtime costs, and allow us to continue to provide the highest quality of fire/EMS service the citizens of Toledo have come to expect.”
The SAFER grant is intended to strengthen and help maintain departments and their ability to respond to emergencies in their communities.
