The Department of Homeland Security announced today that the Worcester Fire Department has been awarded $2.7 million in a Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant.

“Maintaining strong public safety staffing levels for our police and fire departments has been a priority of our city. This grant will be used to partially fund the new class of thirty firefighters that will be going through the academy soon,” said Mayor Joseph M. Petty. “These are the men and women who keep us safe and we need each and every one of them.”

The 2.7 million dollars over two years will fund seventeen of the thirty new firefighters whose positions were appropriated in the latest budget. The new class of firefighters was a stated priority of Mayor Petty and was duly passed by the City Council during budget deliberations in June.

“This fire grant is terrific news for Worcester,” Senator Elizabeth Warren said. “This federal funding recognizes the outstanding work of Mayor Petty, Chief Gardell, and the entire Worcester Fire Department, and I am very glad it will help keep hardworking firefighters on the job protecting our communities.”

Congressman James McGovern said, “With this grant, the Worcester Fire Department will have the resources they need to be able to hire additional firefighters and continue to protect our families and neighborhoods. I am grateful to FEMA for making this investment in our community and to all of our Worcester firefighters and their families for the sacrifices they make to help keep all of us safe.”

“Worcester firefighters provide their community with world-class protection 24 hours a day, every day. This grant will help us maintain a full complement of firefighters and allow the Worcester Fire Department to uphold those high standards,” said City Manager Edward M. Augustus, Jr. “I want to thank our federal legislators for their consistent advocacy and FEMA for these vital funds that will help keep Worcester safe.”

The purpose of the grant is to allow cities and towns to preserve the number of firefighters in department ranks, and to accordingly enhance both response time and preparedness.

“This is great for the Worcester Fire Department. With the recent retirements we’ve seen the new class of firefighters will help us to maintain our current staffing levels for the next two years,” said Fire Chief Geoffrey Gardell.

The Worcester Fire Department and Bridgewater Fire Department both received SAFER grants in this round of funding; Bridgewater received 1.6 million dollars. The grant is awarded by the Department of Homeland Security through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Today, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Craig Fugate appointed twelve new members and reappointed two current members to FEMA’s National Advisory Council (NAC).

The NAC is an advisory committee established by federal law to ensure effective and ongoing coordination of federal emergency management activities. Members represent the whole community and include representatives from a wide array of backgrounds and communities involved or affected by the emergency management profession. The NAC consists of up to 35 members.<?xml:namespace prefix = o />

“FEMA is just one part of our nation’s emergency management team,” FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said. “The National Advisory Council serves a vital role in guiding our plans and strategies by ensuring we remain informed by diverse viewpoints and experiences from every sector of society. I value the expertise and input of each of these members, and appreciate their dedication and commitment to ensuring effective emergency management.”

The NAC provides recommendations to the FEMA Administrator on a variety of issues within emergency management. For example, the NAC recently made recommendations regarding regional response and recovery capabilities as well as regarding mutual aid agreements among different units of government.

FEMA received over 200 applications for the open positions. All applicants were carefully considered through an intensive review process, which included an interagency membership recommendation panel of senior government officials. Most appointments are for three-year terms.
The twelve new NAC members include:

Emergency Management
Samantha Phillips, Director of Emergency Management, City of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, Pa.)

Non-Elected Local Government Officials
W. Scott Field, Director, Denver Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security (Denver, Colo.)

Standards Setting and Accrediting
Fritz Wilson, Executive Director, Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (Cumming, Ga.)

Health Scientists
Gerald Parker, Jr., Vice President of Public Health Preparedness and Response, Texas A&M Health Science Center (Bryan, Texas)

Disabilities
Christopher Littlewood, Project Coordinator, Center for Public Safety Innovation, St. Petersburg College (Seminole, Fla)

Non-Elected Tribal Government Officials
Jeffrey Hansen, Emergency Manager, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma (Durant, Okla.)

Elected Tribal Government Officials
James Akerelrea, Tribal Council Member, Scammon Bay Traditional Council and Store Manager, Scammon Bay Askinuk Store (Scammon Bay, Alaska)

Emergency Response Providers
Gerard Dio, Fire Chief, City of Worcester (Worcester, Mass.)

Communications
Christopher Smith, Homeland Security Advisor to the Governor and Emergency Management Director, State of Nevada (Sparks, Nev.)

Infrastructure Protection
Daniel Zarrilli, Director of Resiliency and Acting Director for Long-term planning and sustainability, Office of the Mayor, City of New York (New York, N.Y.)

Administrator Selection
Jeanne-Aimee De Marrais, Senior Director for U.S Emergencies, Save the Children (Westport, Conn.)

Administrator Selection
Meloyde Batten-Mickens, Executive Director of, Facilities, Gallaudet University (Washington, D.C.)
The two reappointed members include:

Administrator Selections
Lee Feldman, City Manager, City of Fort Lauderdale (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)

Administrator Selection
Felix (Phil) Zarlengo, Chairman, AARP Board of Directors (Jamestown, R.I.)
In addition, Jerry Demings, Sheriff, Orange County Sheriff’s Office (Orlando, Fla.) was appointed on July 1, 2014 to fill a vacancy in the Elected Local Government Officials position.

Additional information on the National Advisory Council, including a full list of members, is available at www.fema.gov/national-advisory-council