Perth Amboy hiring 12 new firefighters to meet national staffing guidelines

Perth Amboy will receive $3.6 million in federal funding to support 12 additional firefighters, Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., announced.

The funding comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) funding grant.

The funding will help the city meet the meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines of always having a minimum of 17 firefighters on duty.

“We are thrilled to announce that we have been awarded a 2022 FEMA SAFER Grant, a significant milestone for the Perth Amboy Fire Department,” Fire Chief Edward Mullen said in a statement. “With this funding, we will be able to hire 12 additional firefighters, increasing our personnel to 84, which will allow us to maintain NFPA 1710 standards even during periods of minimum staffing to always ensure the safety of team. This grant funds the necessary positions to make it possible to assign a rapid intervention crew at every fire scene, enhancing the protection of our brave firefighters and enabling us to safeguard our city and neighboring towns."

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Mullen thanked Pallone and other federal officials for their support, as well as Mayor Helmin J. Caba and the City Council for their approval of this crucial grant application.

“This is wonderful news for Perth Amboy," Pallone said in a statement. "The federal funding will allow the city to maintain adequate staffing to meet the needs of the city’s growing population and keep residents safe and healthy. It’s essential that our first responders have the resources they need to respond to emergencies. I am thrilled the city secured this funding, and I’ll continue to help bring federal funding to New Jersey to support first responders.”

The mayor said the grant strengthens the city’s commitment to public safety.

“The safety of our residents is the most fundamental service a Fire Department can provide,"Steve McConlogue, President of the Professional Firefighters Association of New Jersey, said in a statement. "This SAFER funding will help the Perth Amboy Fire Department increase public safety and improve staffing, while also helping our brave firefighters perform their job safely and efficiently. The PFANJ applauds Congressman Pallone and the IAFF for their continued advocacy to equip our locals with the proper resources.”

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Perth Amboy NJ hiring 12 new firefighters