Fresno City Hall image via wikipedia user Nightryder84

The City of Fresno announced Wednesday it has been awarded a SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant, aimed at increasing staffing numbers within the Fresno Fire Department.

The grant totaling $7.34 million will allow 24 new firefighters to be hired by the department, improving minimum daily staffing numbers and aligning with state and national staffing standards.

“This is very exciting news that will take our agency to the next level,” said Fresno Fire Chief Kerri Donis. “This will improve our response capabilities throughout the community and improve firefighter safety.”

The grant will increase the daily on-duty numbers from 95 to 103 firefighters.

“Keeping people safe is the number one priority for local government,” said Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer. “I am proud to say that during my tenure as mayor, with the support of the City Council, we have added 66 firefighters to a department that has been overworked and understaffed for decades.”

In 2021, the Fresno Fire Department recorded more than 1,000 structure fires, as well as 68 injuries to firefighters and 11 civilian deaths, as well as more than 7,000 total fire-related incidents according to the department’s annual report.

“The Fresno Fire Department is a point of pride in our city, and we know that the increase in staffing will allow the department to maintain pace with the growth of the city and address increasing service demand,” said Fresno City Manager Georgeanne White.