FEMA grant could fund 3 new firefighters for Elgin

A federal grant could fund three new Elgin firefighters for three years at no cost to the city, potentially saving more than $1.2 million in overtime costs, officials said.

The Elgin City Council committee of the whole gave Fire Chief Robb Cagann and the fire department approval Wednesday to submit an application for a Federal Emergency Management Agency "Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response" (SAFER) grant. The fully reimbursable grant is designed to assist communities with firefighter/paramedic-related staffing issues.

The grant covers wages, benefits and pension contribution costs for the three years, potentially saving $410,000 per year in fire department overtime costs.

During Wednesday's meeting, Cagann said the city hadn't applied for the FEMA grant since 2010 because it was traditionally a cost-sharing grant that covered 75% for the first two years and 35% in the final year. "That's the big difference as to why this year is a good year to go for it," he said.

Councilperson Tish Powell said she was happy to see the city apply for the grant, but wondered why, even under the previous cost-sharing model, the city hadn't applied for it in more than 10 years.

"It would help offset some of the costs in our fire department, especially as it relates to overtime costs, which ultimately affected actions that the council took a few weeks ago as it relates to browning out the fire apparatus at Station 6," Powell said.

If approved for the current grant, Elgin's line staffing would increase to 130 from the current 127. The new positions would be created in late December.

As firefighters/paramedics retire or otherwise leave department service, line staffing will return to 127 at the end of the three-year grant reimbursement cycle, Cagann said. By the end of that period, 12 department employees will have achieved 30 years of service, the milestone at which many retire.