Village Adding 2 Firefighters With SAFER Grant

Trustees unanimously approved Monday to accept a federal grant for two new firefighters.

Caledonia Fire Chief Dick Roeder told Patch that CFD was awarded $325,540 as part of the SAFER grant program (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response). The grant will pay the salary and benefits of two, full time firefighters for two years.

Roeder said the new staffers will save the village some pretty big money on overtime.

"Bringing two new firefighters on board will save about $100,000 in overtime over two years," he said.

Trustee Kevin Wanggaard noted that the board voted in August 2012 to allow Roeder to apply for the grant. He thinks accepting them money means a win-win for the village's bottom line and the fire department.

"Bringing down our overtime and helping alleviate staffing concerns when firefighters are sick or on vacation," he said right before making the motion to accept the grant.

Unlike community policing grants that require a municipality to keep officers on the force after the grant expires, SAFER doesn't have those same conditions. Caledonia can choose to either fund the new firefighters through the tax levy, eliminate the positions or apply for a new SAFER grant.

Roeder said notice that Caledonia was approved came on the heels of a rejection letter.

"First they said we didn't get it but then a couple of weeks ago I received a letter from Rep. Paul Ryan that we were approved," he stated. "This is our first crack at it so this is pretty awesome."