The City of New Braunfels has been awarded a $3.4 million grant from the Federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, providing a significant investment in the safety and well-being of the New Braunfels community and further strengthening the City's emergency response capabilities. The grant, which is funded through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), provides funding for additional full-time firefighters in New Braunfels for the next three years.
The SAFER Grant Program was created to provide direct funding to fire departments to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, front-line firefighters available for communities. The goal is to enhance local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response, and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Since the inception in 2005, the SAFER program has distributed more than $5.2 billion in grant funding to fire departments across the nation.
“This is the first time the New Braunfels Fire Department has been selected for the SAFER Grant program and we’re thrilled to be able to provide more firefighters for our community,” said New Braunfels Fire Chief Ruy Lozano. “The additional staff will help enhance the department’s firefighting capabilities and increase operational efficiencies.”
The new firefighters are expected to be hired in early 2024. The City of New Braunfels Human Resources Department is currently narrowing the list of firefighter candidates from the more than 200 applications that were received during the latest hiring phase.
The City of New Braunfels would like to express its sincere gratitude to the Department of Homeland Security, FEMA, and the SAFER program for their support and investment in the safety of New Braunfels residents and firefighters.