Safer Grant Application Period Open

Safer Grant Application Period Open
The Department of Homeland Security today announced that the application period for the SAFER Grants is now open. It's important to remember that in June of this year the president approved new rules for how the SAFER Grant is going to be allocated and accessed this year. Fire departments this year can use SAFER money not only to increase staffing which is fundamentally important for safe firefighting but now departments can use SAFER money to rehire laid-off firefighters or to prevent departments from laying off firefighters.

With the new rules approved by Pres. Obama Department of Homeland Security Sec. Janet Napolitano has the discretion to waive the rules that currently govern the safer program. Legislation is currently pending which will formalize the proposed changes to the safer program. But for 2009 one can assume that these proposed legislative changes will be enacted under the direction of Sec. Napolitano.

Here is the official announcement from the department of homeland security:

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY ANNOUNCES THE OPENING OF THE APPLICATION PERIOD FOR THE FY2009 STAFFING FOR ADEQUATE FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES (SAFER) GRANTS

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin accepting applications for FY2009 SAFER Grants beginning November 16, 2009 at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The deadline for receipt of the SAFER Grant applications will be December 18, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The automated applications will be accessible from the Web site for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program at www.firegrantsupport.com.


The FY2009 SAFER program has approximately $210 million available for Grants. The Program Guidance for the Grants will be posted in the near future on the program’s Web site. The SAFER Grants are administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency.