Douglas County Fire District 2 is growing.
The district was awarded $1,070,724 last month through a Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to pay for five more career firefighters.
“This is a huge boost to the district’s financial stability as we continue to expand services and protection to the people who live, work and visit our area,” Fire District 2 Commissioner Bob Black said in a news release.
The SAFER grant (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) provides funding to select fire agencies nationwide and, for District 2, will pay a percentage of the wages and benefits for the new firefighters over three years.
The district is recruiting jointly with Chelan County Fire District 1; together they’ve received roughly 120 applicants, said Assistant Chief Cam Phillips.