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San Angelo approves application to FEMA SAFER grant to staff planned southwest fire station
Summary
The council authorized the fire department to apply for a FEMA SAFER grant to fund personnel for a proposed new fire station in the city’s southwest; the vote was unanimous and officials said accepting an award would require a later council vote.
The San Angelo City Council on June 17 voted 6‑0 to authorize the fire department to apply for a FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant and to allow the city manager to negotiate and execute application‑related documents.
Fire Chief Brody told the council the authorization is only to apply and does not obligate the city to accept the grant if awarded. “There is no obligation for us to accept the grant if we are awarded it, but I do have to get authorization before we apply and the deadline is approaching,” Brody said. He added that any award would return to council for formal acceptance.
Brody described the department’s staffing calculation for a new southwest station: three personnel per engine per shift plus ambulance staffing, accounting for vacation and backfill yields a staffing need the department estimated at 20 positions. He summarized the SAFER grant’s cost‑share structure as covering a large portion of personnel costs in the early years and reducing city share over time.
A member of the public and presenters emphasized response times in the affected area. A speaker during public comment said average response times to that neighborhood were about 7½ minutes and that parts of the neighborhood lie more than five road miles from the nearest station; presenters cited National Fire Protection Association guidance on response times and ISO (Insurance Services Office) road‑mile standards when discussing coverage gaps.
Councilmember Harry Thomas moved the authorization; Councilmember Karen Hesse Smith seconded. After public comment and discussion the council approved the application authorization 6‑0. Staff and the chief reiterated that council would be asked to accept any award and approve associated budget adjustments if a grant is received.
