WASHINGTON, DC - Today, Congresswoman Terri A. Sewell (D-AL) announced that the City of Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service has been awarded a $1,955,628 grant under the Fiscal Year 2012 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Program. These awards are administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency along with the U.S. Fire Administration. Funding from this grant will be used to recruit and retain firefighters and hire roughly 65 firefighters.

 “Firefighters put their lives on the line every day across the State of Alabama to keep our citizens safe from harm,” said Rep. Sewell. “This grant will retain and create much needed jobs for Birmingham firefighters and will ensure that there is adequate staffing and resources to continue protecting our communities.”

“I want to thank Congresswoman Sewell for her continued support,” said Ivor Brooks, Fire Chief of Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service. “This grant will allow us to fill our staffing needs and will truly help us better serve our community and keep our families safe.”

The SAFER program is a funding initiative designed to strengthen the nation’s ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards and improve the nation’s overall level of preparedness. This program will help award grants directly to volunteer, combination and career fire departments to help the departments increase the number of frontline firefighters and to rehire firefighters who were laid-off due to the economy.

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Contact: Rob NeSmith;        rob.nesmith@mail.house.gov;        202.225.2665