TFD To Hire 60 New Firefighters Thanks To SAFER Grant

The Tulsa Fire Department is ready to add 60 new firefighters thanks to a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The $9.5 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant, allows the City of Tulsa to hire 60 firefighters in the next 12 months, rather than hiring the same amount over a three-year period under the Vision program, a news release says.

Tulsa Fire Chief Ray Driskell said the addition of the 60 firefighters will improve call response time and make Tulsans safer.

“We anticipate these new positions will decrease injuries by supplying more firefighters on active fire scenes as identified by previous staffing studies and the Nation Fire Protection Association,” he said.

Grant costs will be divided between FEMA and the City of Tulsa. A news release says FEMA is responsible for 75 percent of the cost the first two years and 35 percent the third year. It says FEMA’s share is about $5.9 million and the City’s share is about $3.6 million.