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Committee reviews SAFER grant application to fund three firefighter‑paramedics; legal question raised about eligibility
Summary
City staff and fire leadership told the committee they plan to apply for a three‑year SAFER grant to hire three full‑time firefighter‑paramedics; the committee discussed grant match requirements, timelines and whether the grant could fund positions the city had planned to hire anyway.
City staff and fire leadership briefed the Finance & Economic Development Committee on July 1 about an intended application for a three‑year FEMA SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant to hire three additional full‑time firefighter‑paramedics.
Staff said the SAFER award would cover a portion of wages and benefits and that the municipality is expected to absorb an increasing share of the cost over the grant period: a 25% city match in year one and a 65% match in years two and three. The presentation included an estimated total compensation cost of about $1.1 million for the three positions, with a city match of roughly $424,000 and a grant portion of about $682,000. Staff said the award announcement window is between Aug. 18 and Sept. 30 and that the city has budget capacity to cover the required matches if awarded.
One committee member with prior experience writing SAFER grants cautioned that SAFER disallows using grant funds to replace positions the jurisdiction had already planned to hire; that member said the city should confirm eligibility before submitting the application. Staff replied that hiring was paused earlier to reduce overtime and that a third‑party consultant (retired Perrysburg Fire Chief Rudy Ruiz) is reviewing the application and the city’s approach. Committee members agreed to seek further legal and program guidance before finalizing the submission.
No formal committee vote was required for the grant discussion; staff said they will continue reviewing the grant paperwork and consult with counsel and the consultant before the application due date.
