SHEPHERDSVILLE, Ky. — The Shepherdsville Fire Department was recently awarded a multi-million dollar federal grant, which officials plan to use to hire additional firefighters.
On Tuesday, the department said it received more than $3.7 million from the Federal SAFER Grant.
SAFER, or the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant, helps provide funding to departments across the U.S. to increase or maintain the number of "frontline" firefighters in their community.
"This will allow the department to hire and pay for 12 new firefighters over the next three years," officials said on social media.
According to the department, it's one of the largest SAFER Grants to be awarded to Kentucky. They said only three Kentucky departments have been awarded the grant this year.
Officials said they plan to increase staffing on the 4th Company to comply with the National Fire Protection Association 1710's recommended staffing requirements by having 16 people assigned to a 24-hour shift.
This will bring Shepherdsville Fire's staff to 47 full-time firefighters, 6 part-time firefighters and one administrative assistant, department officials said.
In the social media post, the department thanked Firefighter Cameron Canan for his work to secure the grant for the department.
"Canan put in numerous hours and personal sacrifice," officials said. "He is just one of our outstanding firefighters we have in this great city and we are lucky to have him!"
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