The Newport Fire Department is ready to hire three more full-time firefighters thanks to a federal grant.
The town council met for its regular meeting Thursday in the town hall boardroom on Howard Boulevard and online via Zoom, with Rhonda Shinn absent. During the meeting, the council unanimously approved accepting a $559,874 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
According to FEMA, SAFER grants were created to provide funds to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to help increase or maintain their numbers of trained firefighters. Town Manager Bryan Chadwick said the grant will fund three full-time firefighter positions for the department for three years, and comes as the department is preparing for its state Insurance Services Office rating inspection this October.