Staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (safer)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded $286,000 to the City of Montezuma, Georgia on December 19, 2025, under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program (CFDA 97.083). This Project Grant, with a period of performance through December 18, 2029, supports firefighter staffing and retention initiatives designed to help the municipality meet industry minimum standards and maintain adequate 24-hour fire protection coverage. The SAFER program funds direct hiring of frontline firefighters and recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters to enhance the city's emergency response capabilities.

As a civilian grant administered through FEMA Headquarters Financial Assistance Awards, this funding enables the City of Montezuma to strengthen its fire department operations and address critical staffing needs within the local community. The award reflects FEMA's broader portfolio of firefighting grants, which has distributed $4.7 billion across nearly 4,800 awards since the program's inception in 2005, with typical recent awards ranging from $1.8 million to $16.6 million per recipient.