FIRE SUPPORT SERVICES
The City of Arlington has been awarded a $ 16.6 million federal grant that will help fund the Fire Department ’ s phased transition to four-person staffing . Arlington ’ s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response ( SAFER ) grant is the third largest awarded by the Department of Homeland Security ’ s Federal Emergency Management Agency out of 177 awarded nationally so far this year . The three-year grant will help the City cover the salary and benefits for dozens of additional firefighters between February 2024 and February 2027 .
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THE TRANSITION TO FOUR-PERSON STAFFING WILL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO
MEET NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION ( NFPA 1710 )
This will allow more units to be available for additional emergency calls
COMPLETE FIRE GROUND TASKS MORE EFFICIENTLY ON SCENE
These tasks include evacuations , citizen rescues , applying water on fire , ventilating smoke more efficiently , thus reducing the loss of property and life .
INCREASE SAFETY FOR FIREFIGHTERS GOING INTO BURNING STRUCTURES
This will allow Incident Commanders to assign a four-person Rapid Intervention Crew ( RIC ) earlier in the fire .
To begin this transition to four-person staffing , the City Council approved $ 8 million in the FY24 operating budget for 40 additional firefighter positions and necessary equipment , with funding to be allocated for 41 additional positions and equipment in future fiscal year budgets . Now , the federal grant will help cover the costs of 63 of those planned positions over a three-year period , allowing Arlington to allocate funding to other city priorities during that time frame .
The SAFER grant funding will bolster the Fire Department ’ s 2025 Strategic Plan , which includes preparing for evolving technologies , Homeland Security concerns and meeting increased demands from the public for new and existing response services .
BETTER EQUIPPED TO RESPOND TO CALL IN ARLINGTON ’ S INCREASING NUMBER OF MULTI-STORY BUILDINGS
NFPA ’ s best practice for fires in high rise buildings ( greater than 75 feet ) is a minimum of 42 firefighters assigned to the initial dispatch and on scene to aid in rescue of citizens and fire suppression .