A $3.7 million SAFER Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Manchester’s Fire Department will increase the hiring of frontline firefighters.

Firefighters, and elected officials gathered outside Station 5 on Webster Street Wednesday afternoon to announce the details.

Previous budget constraints had reduced the staffing for Engine 5, Engine 2, and Truck 7 to three firefighters, down from four. The additional funds will add firefighters to these stations and bring the staffing back to previous levels. The stations are located on Somerville Street, Webster Street and South Main Street.

Manchester has not added additional firefighters for more than a decade due to budget constraints, however the calls for service have dramatically increased.

Mayor Ruais thanked MFD Chief Ryan Cashin, Congressman Chris Pappas, and the Board of Aldermen for leading the way in obtaining the much-need funding, saying “At a time when our first responders are under more pressure than ever to answer calls 24/7, we need to be sure we have the personnel to cover all of our fire and fire-related emergencies.

Chief Cashin reinforced the importance of the funding saying,“The SAFER grant represents an important and timely investment into the safety of our firefighters and the community. The fire department looks forward to this growth opportunity while continuing to provide fire and rescue services to this great city.”

FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters.

As of Sept. 23, 2024, FEMA has made 191 SAFER awards totaling $360 million. A total of 18 cities and towns in New Hampshire have received this funding since the program started in 2015.