Staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (SAFER)

Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services received a $949,240 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, with performance through December 18, 2029, supports the hiring of new firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters to enhance emergency response capabilities in Sharpsburg, Pennsylvania. The SAFER program provides direct funding to eligible local government entities to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing levels necessary to provide adequate fire protection and emergency response services.

This award represents SAFER's core mission of strengthening firefighter staffing through merit-based selection, which evaluates applications on project description, financial need, operational impact, and cost-benefit analysis. The four-year funding period enables Southern Allegheny Valley Emergency Services to address personnel gaps and build sustainable staffing capacity, contributing to the program's broader objective of enhancing public safety infrastructure across eligible jurisdictions.