Staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (SAFER)

Rives City received a $282,200 Project Grant award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program (CFDA 97.083) on December 19, 2025. The award, which extends through December 18, 2029, will support firefighter staffing and recruitment efforts in Rives, Tennessee. The SAFER program provides direct federal funding to eligible municipalities to help communities meet industry minimum standards and maintain 24-hour fire department staffing to ensure adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

Under this award, Rives City will utilize the grant funds to support one of two core SAFER activities: hiring of frontline firefighters or recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The funding will strengthen the city's fire department operational capacity and personnel capabilities, consistent with SAFER's broader mission to enhance public safety and enable fire departments to fulfill their traditional protective missions. This award reflects the city's demonstrated commitment to emergency response infrastructure, as evidenced by its receipt of multiple FEMA grants for fire services and emergency management in recent years.