Mikulski, Cardin, Sarbanes Announce Nearly $1.9 Million in Federal Funding to Hire 12 Firefighters for City of Annapolis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Barbara A. Mikulski and Ben Cardin, together with Congressman John P. Sarbanes (all D-Md.), today announced that the City of Annapolis Fire Department will receive $1,853,916 in federal funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) program to hire and train 12 full-time firefighters.

“I know how important this funding is to Maryland communities – often it’s the difference between life and death. First responders protect our homes and communities, and the federal government has a responsibility to protect them by providing them with the tools and staffing they need to do their jobs safer and smarter,” Senator Mikulski said. “Every day when our first responders report for duty, they don’t know what they will face. That’s why I fight every year for the equipment, training and staffing our protectors and communities deserve.”

“Protecting our communities from harm is one of the most basic functions of government,” said Senator Cardin. “This federal investment will help ensure that the City of Annapolis Fire Department can recruit and retain the best applicants. First responders in Anne Arundel County put their lives on the line daily and deserve a federal partner as dedicated to public safety as they are.”

“In order to protect Maryland’s communities, we must provide our first responders with the training and resources necessary to do the job,” said Congressman Sarbanes. “This grant funding does just that, by creating jobs that keep our communities safe.”

The SAFER grant program enhances the ability of fire departments around the country to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing by providing grants directly to volunteer, combination and career fire departments. Specifically, the grants help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters and help rehire firefighters who lost their jobs during the economic downturn. The SAFER program provides approximately $340 million in competitive grants to fire departments and statewide or local volunteer firefighter support groups.

Since 2001, Maryland Fire Departments and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) units have received more than $180 million in grant funding, including $26.5 million awarded to fire and EMS departments in Anne Arundel County.

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