Weymouth gets funding for 4 new firefighters

WEYMOUTH -- The fire department will receive more than a half-million dollars to help fund the hiring of four new firefighters, bringing the town one step closure to reopening the Broad Street fire station.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency recently announced that the Weymouth Fire Department will receive a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant through the agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.

The grant for $559,418 will support the hiring of four new firefighters positions, which are part of Mayor Robert Hedlund's administration's plan to reopen Station 2, which has been closed since 2008.

"My administration has been proactive in enhancing aspects of all of our town public safety functions and this grant is furthering those goals," Hedlund said. "Additionally, the SAFER grant enables the town to phase in the staffing increase in a way that is financially responsible and allows the town to prepare for the increases over the course of the three-year grant."

The SAFER grant program provides funding to communities around the country for either hiring or recruitment and retention of firefighters.

The SAFER grant award will be spread over approximately three calendar years, likely beginning in January of 2020. The federal share for the first and second year of the award will cover 75 percent of the typical annual cost of a first-year firefighter, while the town will cover 25 percent of the costs through a local match.

In the final grant year, the grant will cover 35 percent of the costs and the town will be responsible for the remaining 65 percent. Ultimately, the program will result in an investment of $935,124 over the grant period.

Chief Keith Stark said increasing staffing has been a priority of his since becoming chief in 2013. He said the department currently has 95 firefighters, and the grant will help bring that number up to 99.

"The addition of these four firefighters will increase safety, as well as help in the mission to open up Station 2 in the near future," he said.

Weymouth was previously awarded a SAFER grant in 2011, which funded the hiring of five firefighters in the wake of layoffs caused by the recession. Since then, the town applied for funding in 2012 and 2017 for additional staff to reopen the Broad Street station, but was unsuccessful. The grant will allow the department to increase staffing to pre-recession levels.

Last week, Michael Miller, Brendan McDonald and Devon Peirce graduated from the first Boston METRO Regional Fire Academy. Two of these new hires fill existing vacancies from recent retirements. In the fiscal 2020 budget, Hedlund's administration provided funding for an additional two positions. Eaamon Shaughnessy will fill one of those two vacancies and start on Oct. 18. The new hires and new positions will bring the to department up to 95 firefighters, and the grant funding will allow the department to add another four.

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