Stafford Seeks Federal Grant to Boost Firefighter Staffing at Three Under-Resourced Stations

STAFFORD, Va. – Stafford County is applying for federal funding that would allow it to hire 12 new firefighters to staff one of its three understaffed fire stations.

Fire Chief Joe Cardello on Tuesday asked the Board of Supervisors to approve an application for the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant, a FEMA-administered program aimed at helping local governments expand emergency services. If awarded, the grant would cover most of the cost of hiring a dozen full-time firefighters for three years.

The new personnel would be assigned to one of the following stations:

• Station 3 – Widewater
• Station 5 – Brooke
• Station 10 – Potomac Hills

“These are the only three stations without 24-hour career staffing,” said Chief Cardello. “Adding these firefighters would allow us to reduce the burden on stations like Garrisonville and Falmouth, which currently cover a lot of ground.”

Under the SAFER grant:

• FEMA would pay 75% of salary and benefits in the first two years.
• The county would pay 25% in Years 1 and 2, and 65% in Year 3.
• After the grant expires, Stafford would assume 100% of the costs.

Supervisors supported the application, noting the opportunity to stretch county dollars and improve public safety.

“This is a smart way to build the staffing we know we’ll need as the county grows,” said Vice Chairwoman Tinesha Allen.

Supervisor Monica Gary asked for a follow-up meeting with the fire chief to discuss ongoing concerns from volunteer firefighters about how the expansion of paid staffing might affect them.

Board members requested data on call volumes and coverage impacts before deciding which station would receive the new hires, should the grant be awarded.

The Board voted to move forward with the application. A second vote will be held in the fall to accept the grant and approve the staffing plan.