Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate implements and administers the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants. SAFER grants provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase frontline firefighters, rehire firefighters that have been laid off, retain firefighters facing imminent layoffs, or filling of positions that were vacated through attrition. SAFER offers grants to support activities in two categories: 1. Hiring of Firefighters 2. Recruitment and Retention of Volunteer Firefighters The authority for SAFER is derived from the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act of 1974, as amended (15 U.S.C. §2229a et seq.). The program guidance document provides potential applicants with the details of the requirements, processing, and evaluation of an application for financial assistance for both of these activity areas.