$1.1 million in grant money is on the table in Danville.
Some city leaders said it's not going to help, but the firefighters said they need it now more than ever.
The federal grant, called Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER), would hire six more firefighters for at least three years. The local union said they are understaffed and working too many hours, which is exceeding the city's overtime budget.
“I want to make sure that, while we are looking at the safety of our community and looking at the safety of our firefighters, we want to make sure we can afford to do this and afford to continue to do this," said Alderman Lloyd Randle of the 7th Ward.
The federal grant would help pay 75 percent of the cost for the first two years and then 35 percent for the third year. After that, the funds are gone in hopes the city can support it on its own.