Anne Arundel County Fire Department awarded $4.97M federal grant

The Anne Arundel County Fire Department has been awarded a $4.97 million federal SAFER Grant to fund 26 additional EMT/firefighter positions over the next three years. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is designed to help fire departments increase or maintain the number of trained frontline responders in their communities.

Fire Chief Trisha L. Wolford stated that the new positions will provide greater flexibility to deploy resources where they are most needed and strengthen operational readiness. County Executive Steuart Pittman noted that the award continues a multi-year effort to grow the department and prioritize the safety of residents and first responders.