Salisbury Gains 12 New Firefighters

SALISBURY — Salisbury officials this week announced 12 new firefighters hired with Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants have begun employment with the city’s fire department.

With the assistance of FEMA, SAFER grants were created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer fire organizations to help them increase the number of trained “front line” firefighters in their communities. The goal of the SAFER grants is to enhance local fire departments’ ability to comply with staffing, response and operational standards.

“Thanks to the SAFER grant, our community will receive the benefit of having a closed station reopen to its previous staffing level as well as increasing staffing throughout the entire department over the next two years,” said Mayor Jim Ireton, Jr. “Never before in the history of the department has there been 12 firefighters and EMTs hired at the same time and all starting on the same day.”

All 12 firefighters will go through two weeks of intense training that will introduce them to the city and department policies, procedures and emergency operations. A swearing-in ceremony has been set for Nov. 6.

About The Author: Steven Green

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The writer has been with The Dispatch in various capacities since 1995, including serving as editor and publisher since 2004. His previous titles were managing editor, staff writer, sports editor, sales account manager and copy editor. Growing up in Salisbury before moving to Berlin, Green graduated from Worcester Preparatory School in 1993 and graduated from Loyola University Baltimore in 1997 with degrees in Communications (journalism concentration) and Political Science.