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Committee backs FEMA SAFER grant to fund 36 firefighter positions
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee unanimously forwarded a resolution accepting a $13.7 million FEMA SAFER grant to hire 36 firefighters over three years; the grant waives the usual 25% local match this round, enabling the department to fill vacancies and reduce overtime reliance while academies run in smaller, COVID‑compliant cohorts.
The San Francisco Fire Department won committee approval Feb. 3 to accept and expend $13,700,000 in federal SAFER grant funding from FEMA to fund 36 firefighter positions for a three‑year performance period beginning March 10, 2021.
Chief Janine Nicholson and Mark Corso told the committee the funding will cover salary and benefits for the hires and is intended to maintain staffing levels and reduce dependence on mandatory overtime. "This award allows the department to move forward on hiring and will lessen our reliance on overtime," the department said in its presentation.
Because FEMA waived the prior 25% local match requirement for this round, the city does not need to budget additional local funds to participate. Fire Department staff described logistical changes needed for training during the pandemic: academies will be split into smaller cohorts to meet distancing requirements, which FEMA has approved; staff said this approach will let the department start academies sooner and backfill retirements more quickly.
Supervisors asked whether the grant covers academy costs; the department said the award covers salary/benefits for the recruits and enables academy classes to proceed while the department manages other academy expenses internally. The department estimated a typical 20‑week academy can cost roughly $2.5 million for a class of about 48 recruits, figures referenced from past budget discussions.
The committee accepted non‑substantive amendments and forwarded the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Representative quote
"This award is for three years and covers the salary and benefits of 36 new firefighters. It allows us to maintain overall personnel levels and lessens our reliance on overtime," — Mark Corso, San Francisco Fire Department.
What's next: The item was forwarded to the Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation; the Fire Department will implement hiring and training plans consistent with FEMA rules and the department's staffing needs.
Closing note: Supervisors added themselves as cosponsors and thanked department leadership for pursuing the award during a difficult budget period.
