The Cincinnati Fire Department is receiving an $8 million grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant will fund 50 recruits.
According to a department spokesperson, Fire Chief Richard Braun plans to hire the recruit class as soon as May. His aim is to have the class finish the required six month training period by the end of 2014.
The federal grant also pays for the newly-trained firefighters’ salaries for their first two years of service.
Earlier this month, the department graduated 41 recruits. Chief Braun and Cincinnati Mayor John Cranley say the new firefighters are necessary to eliminate brownouts.
