Staunton to tackle fire hires

With a two-year federal grant, Staunton City Council could chip away at fire department understaffing with six hires. The catch: those salaries could cost the city when the grant ends.

The City Council will vote tonight whether to allow the Staunton Fire Department to apply for a $527,892 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant.

If approved, the grant will cover the costs of salaries for six new fire fighters for two years.

Some council members said getting the grant will help the city in the long run, but at least one remains skeptical about what will happen when the money runs dry.

The National Fire Protection Association recommends every department provide 15 people on emergency calls within an eight-minute window. But Staunton Fire Department Chief R. Scott Garber said he’s three firefighters short and facing a city hiring freeze that doesn’t leave room for more.

“It puts us shorthanded on any type of scene,” Garber said Wednesday. “Any type of fire incident we’re shorthanded from the start.”

City fire crews get routine support from Augusta County departments and can call off-duty firefighters in some situations, Garber said.

Assistant City Manager Jim Halasz said the City Manager’s office supports submitting the application for the grant. By filling three lost positions and adding three more, the department could increase daily staffing to nine, he said.

“The council I’m sure will be supportive,” he said. “Even though they’ll be asking those same questions about where we’ll be in two years.”

Councilman Dickie Bell said he still needs convincing, especially with the bleak situation of city finances.

“I understand their staffing needs, and I certainly don’t want to minimize that,” said Bell, who will resign his seat by the end of the year after winning election last week to the state House. “But what’s the cost going to be to the city at the end of this grant money? We have to be careful about making those things line items in the budget.”

Councilman Bruce Elder said a good idea would be to look to the Harrisonburg Fire Department, which received the same grant last year.

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to apply for this,” Elder said. “This is a tremendous help to the people of Staunton. We would love to have more firefighters and this gives us the opportunity to do it in very stressful economic times.”

Garber said the SAFER program previously offered money for five years, with a smaller percentage of salary covered each year. Now it’s two years at full funding.

If the application is approved, and if the economy improves enough within two years, Garber said, he hopes the city could retain the new fire fighters.

If they apply for the competitive grant, officials would expect to hear back about the application in six months to a year.

Staff Writer Tony Gonzalez contributed to this report.