FY 2012 SAFER Grant Application Period Opens July 16

June 27, 2012 – The application period for Fiscal Year 2012 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants opens Monday, July 16, 2012, at 8:00 a.m. (EDT) and ends August 10, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT). More than $337 million is available for FY 2012 grants to help fire departments rehire and retain fire fighters, as well as hire additional personnel.

Municipalities with fire departments facing reduced emergency response capabilities in particular should apply for SAFER funding. The IAFF urges affiliates to work with their fire chiefs and local lawmakers to file for the grants. City management must submit the application, but the IAFF is available to assist your community in applying for the grants.

The FY 2012 SAFER grant Guidance and Application Kit is posted on the Assistance to Firefighters web site. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also posted a Get Ready Guide to help with the application process. All SAFER applicants should read the Guidance to fully understand the FY 2012 award criteria, funding priorities and important special application instructions for completing the application.

The IAFF Grants Department is available to assist IAFF affiliates and their fire departments through the application process. To request a review of an application by the IAFF for feedback and comments prior to submission, affiliates can send their completed application, including both the data entry and narrative portions, to the IAFF Grants Department. IAFF Grants Department staff will also be available for consultation at the 2012 IAFF Convention in Philadelphia. For more information, contact the IAFF Grants Department at (202) 824-1575 or email grants@iaff.org.

Administered through FEMA, SAFER has put thousands of fire fighters back to work, giving a much-needed boost to public safety in countless struggling communities. SAFER waivers, which were first enacted in 2009, allow fire departments to use SAFER grants to rehire fire fighters who have been laid off and excuse a number of budgetary restrictions under SAFER that fire departments struggle to meet in a weak economy.