Funding to Protect Fire Fighter Jobs Moves Forward

May 15, 2009 – Legislation to provide federal financial assistance to enable local fire departments to rehire laid off fire fighters and avoid staffing cuts has moved forward in both the House and Senate.

The IAFF was successful in working with congressional leaders to include language in a special supplemental appropriation bill that would allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to waive current requirements on SAFER grants that stipulate the grants may only be used to pay the salaries of newly hired, additional fire fighters.

“In the current economic environment, the IAFF has placed the highest priority on saving our members jobs,” says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. “We believe that these waivers will go a long way toward bringing back our laid off brothers and sisters, and will help other communities retain safe staffing levels.”

The supplemental appropriation bill, which funds the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, moved forward in both the House and Senate, keeping it on track for final passage in early June. The full House of Representatives adopted HR 2346 by a vote of 368-60.

Advocating that the provision be included in the bill, Representative Betty Sutton (D-OH) said, “Because of the current recession, many communities, including Elyria in my district, are being forced to lay off fire fighters, resulting in dangerously low staffing levels. I am proud to say that we have worked on language to include in this bill that will allow SAFER grants to be used to rehire and retain much-needed fire fighters.”

While the House debate continued, the legislation was also moving forward in the Senate. The Senate Committee on Appropriations approved its version of the supplemental appropriation by voice vote. The IAFF worked with Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV), chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, to ensure that the SAFER waiver authority was included in the Senate bill.

The full Senate is expected to take up the legislation next week, with a House-Senate Conference Committee is likely to convene after Congress returns from its week-long Memorial Day recess. The IAFF expects the new waiver authority could be applied to SAFER grants that will be awarded this year. DHS has not yet announced a timetable for applying for SAFER grants, but in past years the application season has begun in June.

Last year, Congress approved $210 million for SAFER grants, but because of the current requirements, few fire departments were expected to apply for the funding. The new wavier authority will enable the $210 million to be used to save fire fighter jobs, in addition to helping those communities that are able to add new personnel.

Related stories:

Obama Calls for Doubling Funding for SAFER

Congressional Panel Approves Use of SAFER Grants for Rehire, Retention