CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) — The City of Chesapeake is getting more than $4.4 million in federal grant funding to help hire firefighters.
The funding was requested earlier this year by the Chesapeake Fire Department and Rep. Bobby Scott (D-3rd District) wrote a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency in support, said Scott’s office in announcing the funding on Friday. It’s through FEMA’s Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program.
“Firefighters and other emergency personnel are essential to keeping our communities safe,” Scott said. “This grant funding to the City of Chesapeake will ensure their fire department is properly staffed and they can quickly and efficiently respond to any emergencies. This will improve outcomes for residents and maintain safety in our neighborhoods.”
The funding will allow Chesapeake to hire 18 new firefighters and comply with its minimum staffing model and with the National Fire Protection Association’s 1710 staffing standards, Scott said. The department will be able to adequately staff four-member crews for 10 of its 17 engine companies, and adding six more personnel to each of its three shifts.
“The hiring of eighteen new firefighters would also enable CFD to significantly improve emergency service outcomes for victims and first responders,” Scott added. “Studies have consistently shown that four-member engine company crews are safer and more efficient than three-member crews.”
As of Sept. 6, 2024, FEMA says it’s allocated $215 million to 138 fire departments nationwide. Other local departments receiving funding in 2024 include the Tasley Volunteer Fire Co. ($135K) on the Eastern Shore. The City of Suffolk received $4.1 million last year, and another $3.4 million in 2021, through the program.
