Crime & Safety
Federal Grant May Allow Worcester To Hire Dozens Of Firefighters
Worcester has committed to hiring many new firefighters in the wake of a 2021 report about needed fixes in the department.
WORCESTER, MA — Worcester will get $15 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and a majority of the award will go toward hiring new firefighters, city officials said Monday.
A $14.1 million SAFER grant could pay for up to 60 new firefighters over three years. A smaller FEMA grant worth about $800,000 will allow the department to buy new breathing apparatuses, radios and other gear, officials said.
The influx of federal dollars comes after city officials earlier this year committed to hiring close to 50 new staff across the fire department. The money also follows a 2021 report that advised the city to make 10 changes inside the department to avoid more line-of-duty deaths. Nine Worcester firefighters have died battling fires since 2019.
"This funding from FEMA will assist our department in accomplishing its mission to protect the lives and property of the community by increasing daily staffing for a safer and more effective fire and emergency response," acting Worcester Fire Chief Martin Dyer said in a news release.
Mayor Joseph Petty thanked U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern and U.S. Sens Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren for helping secure the grants for Worcester. Acting City Manager Eric Batista said the grant will be used to hire new recruits. The city has two classes of firefighter recruits on the way that will bring the department from 409 members to 435.
