New Rules Allow SAFER Grants to Prevent Layoffs, Restore Cuts

June 18, 2009 – Congress has voted to allow the use of federal funding to rehire laid off fire fighters and prevent fire department staffing reductions. The new rules for Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants make funding available to help keep IAFF members safe and on the job and bring back those who have been laid off as a result of the current financial crisis. The bill is now on its way to the White House.

"The IAFF made it an urgent priority to pass this proposal to waive current requirements and allow SAFER grants to be used to save our members' jobs and restore cuts made to staffing," says IAFF General President Harold Schaitberger. "With the passage of this waiver, fire departments can use this money to prevent layoffs and ensure adequate staffing."

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano agreed to postpone the 2009 application process for SAFER grants until the new waiver authority is in place. This assures that the $210 million that Congress appropriated for SAFER can be used to address the current wave of staffing cuts. The IAFF is working with DHS to establish the new rules and will post information on the application period as soon as it is available.

The IAFF strongly urges affiliates to work with their fire departments to apply for SAFER money. "As we all know, adequate staffing is critical to effective response and fire fighter and public safety," says Schaitberger.

Under the original law — passed in 2004 — communities could only receive a SAFER grant if they planned to increase fire department staffing levels. Fire fighters hired with SAFER grants had to be retained for at least five years, and the fire department couldn’t reduce staffing levels during this period. These restrictions have combined to prohibit fire departments from using SAFER grants to prevent layoffs, and have discouraged fire departments from applying for SAFER grants during this current economic recession.

The rule changes eliminate the language that has prevented using this money to alleviate the need to lay off a fire fighter. In addition, President Obama is proposing $420 million for SAFER in his Fiscal Year 2010 budget. This critically needed funding will continue to help ease the pressure on fire department budgets in communities across the nation.