The Springfield Fire Department has been awarded a $1.2 million federal grant to increase its local work force.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, which falls under the umbrella of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, will allow the Fire Department to hire nine additional firefighters, according to a news release.
The additional workers would staff Fire Station 13, which is planned for the corner of West Chestnut Expressway and Duke Avenue. Though the Fire Department identified a need for a new station in west Springfield several years ago, the city had not sought funding for the design or construction because staffing wasn't in place.
According to the release, the grant funds nine of the 15 personnel needed for the new station. Until the rest of the staffing is secured and the station is constructed, the nine new firefighters will be assigned to high-call volume districts and those covering residents on the west side of the city.
“The need for Station 13 has been clear for many years. However, due to the fiscal and economic climate within the city, we have been unable to phase in staffing as we have done in the past. This grant will allow the city to work to address this underserved area," Fire Chief David Hall said in the release.
