www.firegrantsupport.com

What is SAFER?
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program was created to provide
funding to fire departments to hire additional fire fighters to help ensure compliance with staffing,
response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

What Has Changed?
DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano delayed the 2009 application process to ensure that the $210 million
that Congress appropriated for SAFER for 2009 and the $420 million for the SAFER program for Fiscal
Year 2010 are available under new guidelines that allow use of SAFER funds to rehire laid?off fire fighters
and prevent reductions in force specifically related to the economic downturn.
Written and lobbied for by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the new rules make
SAFER grants available to rehire fire fighters who have been laid off, bring back positions that are not
being filled as a result of the current financial crisis, and to prevent further reductions in staffing. The
new rules will NOT require your jurisdiction to match any of the federal funds or to provide maintenance
funding for the positions.

Who Can Apply?
Municipalities with fire departments facing reduced emergency response capabilities can apply for this
funding to bring laid?off fire fighters back to work, stave off future layoffs and restore cuts to services.
City management must file for the grants, but the IAFF is available to assist your community in applying
for the grants.
The changes under the new law do not affect existing SAFER grants. The changes are not retroactive.

When Can You Apply?
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for Staffing for Adequate
Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants beginning November 16, 2009, at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
The application period will close December 18, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Applications for $210
million in SAFER funding will be available through the Assistance to Firefighters (FIRE Act) web site at
www.firegrantsupport.com, along with program guidance. A second application period will open in
early 2010 for the $420 appropriated for Fiscal Year 2010.