Development News for Farmington, Minnesota

City Council Approves SAFER Grant Application for Six New Firefighters

The city council considered and approved a resolution to apply for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. This federal grant, administered by FEMA, aims to bolster fire department staffing by providing up to $324 million for hiring firefighters and supporting recruitment and retention efforts. The grant would fund the hiring of six full-time firefighters, with the city responsible for a 25% match for the first two years and a 65% match for the third year. The estimated city cost over the three-year grant period is approximately $220,000 for years one and two, and a yet-to-be-specified amount for year three, with the total estimated cost of hiring six firefighters being $875,000.