# Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) (97.083)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/97-083-staffing-for-adequate-fire-and-emergency-response-safer/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated October 31, 2026.

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) is run by Department of Homeland Security. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $1.8 billion in 1,241 grants, about $1.4 million per award.

## Objectives

The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER Program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments.
FEMA will measure the recipient’s performance of the grant by comparing the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities needed and requested in its application with the number of items, supplies, projects, and activities acquired and delivered by the end of the period of performance. Please see applicable Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for additional information on the specific program metrics.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $325 million | 202 |
| 2022 | $333 million | 118 |
| 2023 | $538 million | 525 |
| 2024 | $288 million | 194 |
| 2025 | $285 million | 208 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsborough County of | Florida | $42.4 million |
| City of Indianapolis | Indiana | $32.5 million |
| City of Oakland | California | $26.5 million |
| City of Memphis, Tennessee | Tennessee | $24.2 million |
| Boston, City of | Massachusetts | $24.2 million |
| Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District | California | $23.3 million |
| City of Worcester | Massachusetts | $22.7 million |
| City of Philadelphia Fire Department | Pennsylvania | $22.4 million |
| City of Providence | Rhode Island | $20.9 million |
| Fresno, City of | California | $20.0 million |
| City of Phoenix | Arizona | $18.4 million |
| Frederick County Maryland | Maryland | $17.1 million |
| Anchorage, Municipality of (Inc) | Alaska | $16.6 million |
| City of Arlington | Texas | $16.6 million |
| Richmond, City of | Virginia | $13.7 million |
| City of Bloomington | Minnesota | $13.2 million |
| Clay County Board of County Commissioners | Florida | $13.1 million |
| County of Palm Beach | Florida | $13.1 million |
| Lake County | Florida | $12.4 million |
| City of Las Vegas | Nevada | $12.0 million |