Council approves FEMA grants for SCBA equipment and SAFER personnel awards; grants total more than $1 million

Freeport City Council on Oct. 1 approved two FEMA grant awards for the Freeport Fire Department: an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) for new self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and a SAFER staffing grant to support personnel costs.

AFG SCBA grant: The council approved acceptance of a FEMA AFG award totaling $108,900 to purchase breathing apparatus and related equipment. The city's required match is $9,900; staff said the match will come from the department's existing SCBA line item.

SAFER personnel grant: Council also approved acceptance of a SAFER grant totaling $964,434.95 to support firefighter positions. Fire staff said the awards follow several years of grant seeking; the department reported that since 2023 they have brought in nearly $2 million in grant funding across programs.

Outcome: Both grant acceptances were approved unanimously.

Implementation notes: Staff indicated equipment purchase and personnel implementation steps will follow standard procurement and payroll procedures; departments will report on grant-funded hires and equipment acquisitions to council as required.

Votes at a glance:
- AFG SCBA grant ($108,900; city match $9,900): Approved unanimously.
- FEMA SAFER personnel grant ($964,434.95): Approved unanimously.