UPDATE: Salisbury SAFER grant extended

Twelve additional firefighters with the city of Salisbury, are one step closer to keeping their jobs. A S.A.F.E.R. Grant that has funded the positions since 2012, was set to expire next week, but FEMA has approved the city’s request to use unspent funds from the grant to keep the positions for an additional six weeks.

The city made the request after realizing that the new application process for the grant does not start until next year, which could create at least a five month funding gap. To fund the officers without the grant would cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Mayor Jim Ireton says they will apply again as soon as the new application round opens up. “Salisbury will be able to use unspent funds to run the S.A.F.E.R. grant for an additional 6 weeks. The city is proud to have been able to hire many of the original grant-funded positions to be permanent city firefighters. I have always made clear that these FEMA funds were grant monies, and would not be available in perpetuity. We are applying in the new FEMA S.A.F.E.R. grant round, which will begin in early 2015. I applaud the work of Chief Rick Hoppes for spending the grant money wisely and securing the extra 6 weeks of service from our FEMA firefighters.”

The new grant money will now expire on November 26th, 2014.