Prince George's Co. Fire Dept. Gets $2.5 Million Federal Grant | News

LARGO, Md. (WUSA) -- Prince George's County Fire/EMS Department will be hiring 18 new fire fighters after being awarded a $2,589,516 federal grant.

This was possible due to the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program created by Congress. It is intended to help address staffing, equipment, training and health and safety needs of fire departments.

"The ability to hire 18 firefighters through the SAFER Grant will help us improve service delivery and will increase the safety of our first responders by ensuring adequate staffing levels," said Fire Chief Marc S. Bashoor.

The fire fighters hired for these 18 new positions will be placed in the Department's busiest stations to help reduce personnel injures due to understaffing. This comes as an addition to the 70 fire fighters that will be hired under the new budget.

This isn't the first time Prince George's County receives a grant. In 2010, the Fire/EMS Department was awarded $3,458,682 to hire 24 Fire Fighters and Emergency Medical Providers.