Salisbury Fire Department’s SWIFT team receives $75,000 grant

SALISBURY, Md. – In Salisbury, the city’s fire department is being awarded a hefty check, that will keep one of the department’s critical emergency services up and running. On Monday, Mayor Jake Day along with fire chief John Tull, announced that the department has been awarded $75,000 from CareFirst. Officials say the funding will help support the Salisbury Wicomico Integrated First Care Team also known as SWIFT, who make home visits to chronic non-emergency 911 callers to help reduce the number of non-emergency transports and unnecessary ER visits. Officials add that without this kind of funding, they wouldn’t be able to properly serve the residents of Wicomico County.

“This funding allows us to take this firefighter, paramedic off his shift and put him into this critical role where that’s all he manages. He just takes care of those individuals that have been enrolled in the program,” said Chief Tull.

Chief Tull says the grant will now go before Salisbury city council so they can officially accept the funding. He says the grant is expected to be voted on by the council within the next couple of weeks.