Westmoreland County fire departments get $43,000 from SAFER grant

More than $43,000 was handed out to nine Westmoreland County fire departments Saturday in the form of new turnout gear, college tuition reimbursement and physicals.

Part of the $4.3 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, or SAFER, which was awarded to Westmoreland County fire departments in September 2017, the money is used to improve recruitment and retention

Westmoreland City, the Hempfield Bureau of Fire, Forbes Road, Ligonier, Rostraver Center, Youngwood, Penn Borough and Hyde Park volunteer fire departments each applied for and received part of the $43,000, said Zach Freeman, SAFER grant coordinator.

Here’s how those funds were broken down:

• $7,500 for new turnout gear, or personal protection equipment
• $15,230 in college tuition reimbursement
• $20,307 for physicals, a requirement for newly recruited firefighters

Funds were handed out as part of a presentation Saturday where members of Adapt, a grant management and marketing firm, taught members of about 15 local fire departments new ways to recruit younger members through social media and online marketing tools, Freeman said.

Other recruitment and retention sessions are scheduled for July 30 and Aug. 1 at 6 p.m. and Aug. 3 at 9 a.m. Locations for the programs have not yet been determined.