Staffing for adequate fire and emergency response (safer)

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded Williamson Valley Fire District a $264,250 Project Grant on December 19, 2025, under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program (CFDA 97.083). This award will support the hiring of additional firefighters and the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters through the grant's completion date of December 18, 2029. The SAFER program provides direct federal funding to eligible local government entities to help communities meet industry minimum standards and achieve 24-hour staffing levels necessary to provide adequate fire protection and emergency response services.

The funding will enable Williamson Valley Fire District, a rural emergency services provider in Yavapai County, Arizona, to strengthen its firefighting and emergency response capabilities by expanding its workforce. This investment is particularly significant for the district's service area, which operates in a rural region located 20+ miles from Level 4 trauma centers and up to 100 miles from Level 1 facilities, where adequate staffing levels are critical to maintaining emergency response capacity.