LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield Fire Department has been awarded $1,199,469.08 in federal funding from the Department of Homeland Security via the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The funds will be used to hire four additional career firefighters and will pay the full cost of salaries and benefits of these positions for the next three years. The purpose of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program is to provide funding directly to fire departments to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments.
“The four additional firefighters will address the evolving needs of the community and enhance the department’s capacity to respond swiftly and efficiently to fire and other emergency situations,” said Fire Chief/Emergency Management Director Glenn Davis. “Their presence will improve response times and bolster overall emergency preparedness.”
Select Board Chair Dick Dalton agreed.
“The town of Lynnfield is grateful to the Department of Homeland Security and to Rep. Seth Moulton for his assistance in obtaining this grant, which will allow us to bolster our Fire Department, which is handling higher call volumes every year,” said Dalton. “This SAFER grant will allow the community to continue with the combination staffing model that has always protected the town’s safety.”
Moulton concurred with Davis and Dalton’s viewpoints.
“Firefighters are among the bravest public servants we have,” said Moulton. “Their extraordinary courage and dedication keep our communities safe, day in and day out. I am thrilled that the Lynnfield Fire Department has been awarded nearly $1.2 million in federal funding to hire more firefighters. This funding will go a long way toward helping the town’s firefighters do their jobs as safely and effectively as possible.”
The town’s fiscal year 2025 operating budget for fiscal year 2025 included two career full-time firefighter positions. Davis requested four career firefighters the last two fiscal years to work overnight shifts in order to improve the Fire Department’s responses to calls at night.
“The Lynnfield Fire Department is extremely pleased to receive this award as the SAFER grant process is highly competitive with very few awards given out nationally each year,” said Davis. “We are thankful to FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security for recognizing our department’s commitment to public safety and investing in the future of our operational capacity.”
