Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Cincinnati gets more federal money for firefighters

WVXU

The Cincinnati Fire Department is getting another nearly $6 million federal grant to hire 40 additional firefighters.  

The money will fund salaries for 2 years.  

In the last several years the number of Cincinnati firefighters has been shrinking because of retirements and resignations.  

The new recruits are expected to fill those holes and more that are expected with additional members leaving.  A Fire Department spokeswoman says a recruit class in training right now is expected to graduate at the end of March.  The federal money just announced will fund another class to start sometime in the spring.  

This latest grant also has a provision offering an incentive to hire military veterans for the fire department jobs. The federal money will cover 3 years of salaries and benefits for veterans.

Jay Hanselman brings more than 10 years experience as a news anchor and reporter to 91.7 WVXU. He came to WVXU from WNKU, where he hosted the local broadcast of All Things Considered. Hanselman has been recognized for his reporting by the Kentucky AP Broadcasters Association, the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists, and the Ohio AP Broadcasters.