FEMA awarded the Baltimore County Fire Department $1.5 million dollars to hire 16 firefighters.
The grant is meant to help ensure adequate staffing levels to respond to fire and medical emergencies across the county.
The announcement of the funds came from U.S. senators Ben Cardin and Chris Van Hollen.
"This grant is a federal investment in Baltimore County firefighters and residents alike," said Senator Cardin. "We trust our first responders to protect our homes and our families. In turn, we have a responsibility to ensure they have all the resources and people necessary to keep themselves and others safe."
"This grant will ensure Baltimore County's fire departments have appropriate staffing levels to respond to the call for help, whether it's an accident on I-695, a house fire in Dundalk, or a medical emergency like a heart attack. This investment will help these brave men and women keep our families, homes, and communities safe," said Senator Van Hollen.
The funding comes from FEMA's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) program. SAFER grants help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters and help rehire firefighters who lost their jobs during the economic downturn.
