$632,550 grant to increase firefighters for City of Kilgore
By KATHRYN MARTINEZ news1@kilgorenewsherald.com

Kilgore Fire Department will receive a grant of $632,550 grant from the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, which helps fire departments increase the number of firefighters.

"We applied for this grant to obtain six new firefighters and get fire station three up an running," Ronnie Moore, Kilgore director of public safety, said.

The grant is a five-year decreasing fund.

"The grant pays 100 percent in year one and decreases each year thereafter," Moore said. "In year five Kilgore will pick up all pay and benefits for the new firefighters."

Moore said the grant saves Kilgore a lot for the five-year period and reopening station three is just another benefit of receiving the funds.

"The city closed station three in the 80s when revenues took a down turn," Moore said. "We tried to operate station three with a skeleton crew for a long time, but in the end the department was just spread too thin."

Over the years many residents have commented on the need and want for firefighters on the city's east side. Kilgore can finally offer residents what they have been asking for.

Additional reasons Moore named as key in reopening station three are three large apartment complexes, growth at synergy park and the possibility of future housing.

"It just makes sense," Moore said. "The area around the loop is where we are going to see the most growth."

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program helps fire departments increase the number of front-line firefighters. The goal is for fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities and ultimately attain 24-hour staffing, thus assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

The SAFER grants support two specific activities: the hiring of firefighters, and recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. SAFER is part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and is under the Office of Grants and Training of the Department of Homeland Security.