Albemarle County Fire Rescue (ACFR) has been awarded $1.03 million in federal funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to hire, train, and deploy six full-time firefighters. The grant was secured through a collaborative effort between ACFR and the County’s Department of Finance and Budget.
The SAFER grant program provides funding directly to fire departments to help increase or maintain the number of trained, frontline firefighters available in their communities. The six firefighters funded through this grant were identified as a staffing need in the recent Fire Rescue Staffing Study. The grant will strengthen ACFR’s staffing levels, with the goal of eliminating service reductions, reducing mandatory overtime, and ensuring consistent emergency services throughout Albemarle County.
Since 2020, ACFR has received multiple SAFER grants supporting staffing expansions throughout Albemarle County. Previous awards have helped establish daytime engine staffing in Crozet and North Garden, expand coverage at rural stations, transition North Garden to 24/7 operations, and fund additional personnel for the ladder company at ACFR’s Station 11. Collectively, these investments have strengthened emergency response capabilities and expanded service coverage throughout the County.
“I want to thank our staff for their dedication and hard work in securing this significant funding,” said ACFR Fire Chief David Puckett. “This grant allows us to address staffing needs, reduce mandatory overtime, and continue providing professional and consistent services to the residents of Albemarle County.”
To fill these positions, ACFR will recruit qualified candidates who will complete the department’s career recruit academy. Training includes fire suppression, emergency medical services, rescue operations, emergency vehicle operations, and other essential skills. Upon successful completion, recruits will be deployed to support ACFR’s operational staffing needs. The grant represents another step in ACFR’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its workforce and provide reliable fire, rescue, and emergency medical services to the community.
