Southern Manatee Fire Rescue Press Release
Date: Sept. 25, 2017
Media Contact: Brian Gorski, Fire Chief
941-751-7576
bgorski@smfr.com
Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District receives federal funding under the (FY) 2016 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant to hire 9 firefighter/EMTs/Paramedics.
On July 28, 2017, the Department of Homeland Security awarded the Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District a SAFER Grant. The awarding of the grant will allow Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District to hire nine (9) new full-time employees (Firefighter/EMT/Paramedic’s – entry level) for our first-out responding fire apparatus. This will allow the District to staff our Hazardous Materials Response vehicle with our currently employed Haz-mat technician firefighters/EMTs/Paramedics. With the SAFER grant, the District will be able to respond its Hazardous Materials Truck to incidents (Fire, EMS and Haz-mat). The addition of the 9 firefighters, 3 Firefighters per shift will increase the effectiveness of the first alarm assignments and other emergencies occurring in the district, out of the district and within our region. Adding an additional apparatus to our response and increasing the amount of personnel on first alarm assignments it will allow our firefighters to enter structure fires in a safer manner and perform lifesaving operations and reduce property damage. This Safer Grant will allow Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District to be in compliance with NFPA 1710.
Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District, is a BLS Fire Rescue agency that serves 34 square miles and has a population of 55,000 permanent residents and grows to 60,000 in winter months. In 2016, our agency responded to 5,836 calls. This included 70 structure fires, 204 hazardous condition calls, 4029 medical calls, and 1,533 other calls. Southern Manatee Fire Rescue District operates a Hazardous Materials Response Team for the County and will be implementing Advanced Life Support (ALS) – Paramedic Fire Engines within the next few years.
The purpose of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Program is to protect the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards.