SOUTHINGTON, Conn. — Southington officials voted to turn down a SAFER grant worth more than $3 million for the fire department that would have helped hire more firefighters and expand coverage.
Southington was the only Connecticut town approved for the grant, and fire officials said they were counting on the money to help fill staffing gaps, FOX 61 reported.
| READ NEXT: Congratulations, you won a grant! Now try not to give it back.
At an Oct. 13 council meeting, Councilman Tony Morrison explained that the grant would have required hiring 12 additional full-time firefighters, a long-term fiscal commitment the town said it could not afford, WTNH reported.
Morrison said FEMA caps how much of a firefighter’s salary it will cover through the grant, and firefighter salaries exceed that cap. As a result, Southington would have needed to cover more than $800,000 in costs during the grant’s first year, including remaining salary costs, training, uniforms and other expenses, with that figure estimated to exceed $920,000 in the second year.
Deputy Chief Daniel Comen said firefighters have continued delivering strong service despite staffing challenges, but noted that dedication and training cannot substitute for the personnel needed to safely respond to every emergency.
Comen pointed to Fire Station No. 3 as an example, saying it sits unstaffed approximately 75% of the week, leaving residents in that area to wait for other stations or mutual aid to respond. The station is meant to serve about a third of the town, and Comen said the federal grant could have funded 12 additional firefighters to close that gap.
The department said in a statement that the operational challenges that prompted the grant application remain, citing staffing limitations, response-time disparities and reduced coverage in parts of the community as issues that will continue to require attention.
The department said it will work with the Board of Fire Commissioners and town officials to evaluate its needs and identify solutions.
