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Fauquier County accepts $4.48 million FEMA SAFER grant to add 24 fire personnel; county faces growing local share in year three
Summary
Fauquier County officials said a FEMA SAFER award of $4,477,170 will add 24 firefighter positions (12 for New Baltimore, 12 for Remington). FEMA covers 75% in years one and two, dropping to 35% in year three, leaving an increased local budget burden.
Fauquier County will accept a federal FEMA SAFER staffing grant totaling $4,477,170 to fund 24 additional fire personnel over three years, county presenters told the Board of Supervisors during the Oct. 9 agenda review. The county plans to assign 12 new positions to the New Baltimore station and 12 to Remington to allow engines and medic units to staff together, officials said.
"This the county was recently awarded a FEMA SAFER grant in the amount of 4,477,170," a county presenter said. Chief Smith described operational pressure driving the request, noting the county is responding to more than 11,000 incidents this year and currently has about 11 vacancies in the system: "We recruited 37 new volunteers. And unfortunately, we've lost about a 100. We have a total of Operationally, we have about 300 volunteer members that are active."
Under the SAFER grant structure presented, FEMA will pay 75% of allowable costs in year one and year two while the county picks up 25%. In year three FEMA will cover 35% and the county will be responsible for 65%. Staff said the FY26 appropriation for the SAFER program would be $1,334,000, of which $768,000 would be the county’s local share to cover startup items such as uniforms, PPE and training.
Board members asked about retention of prior SAFER hires and recruitment outcomes. Staff said of an earlier mid‑year hiring of 24 positions, roughly 15 remain with the county and pledged to verify historical retention data. Chief Smith said the department has lost two to three full‑time employees to other jurisdictions in the past year, and that recruitment remains a concern.
The board did not take a final vote during the agenda review; staff characterized the item as a resolution authorizing the fire‑rescue system to accept and appropriate the FEMA SAFER award and asked to move it forward on the evening agenda for action.
