(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker today announced the awarding of a $477,520 federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant that will go towards hiring four full-time firefighters in Perth Amboy. The four new Perth Amboy hires will fill the positions of firefighters who retired, helping the department to strengthen its force and better protect local residents.
“I’m so pleased that with this grant Perth Amboy will be able to hire four new firefighters.” Menendez said. “And not only will this funding create jobs and help protect our communities, it will also help maintain safe working conditions for our firefighters, who deserve nothing less than our best efforts to ensure they can perform their duties as safely and effectively as possible.”
“Ensuring public safety and adding jobs are two critical priorities for me,” Booker said. “Today’s grant allows Perth Amboy to make progress in both of these areas. I want to thank FEMA for today’s award. It highlights the importance of the SAFER program and the resources it provides to fire departments in need of funding during a period that remains challenging for cities and towns across New Jersey.”
The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) SAFER program seeks to increase the number of frontline firefighters, enhancing the ability of grantees to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.