FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — Fayetteville is getting more firefighters and two additional ladder trucks as the city’s fire department works to improve emergency response coverage in a growing community.
The Fayetteville Fire Department has been awarded more than $2.3 million through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. The funding will help the department hire 18 firefighters to staff two additional ladder truck companies, supplementing the five currently operating across the city. Fire officials say the additional crews will help get enough firefighters to a fire scene quickly, improving public safety and bringing the department closer to national staffing standards.
Internal department studies have identified a need for three additional ladder truck companies in these areas:
- Lake Rim
- Ramsey Street and Langdon Street
- Helen Street and Johnson Street, in the Kornbow area
The new grant will help address coverage needs in two of those areas, according to the department. The last time Fayetteville added a ladder company was in 2005. Battalion Chief Jason Davis said the funding allows the department to hire firefighters faster than it could through its regular budget process, while reducing the initial cost to the city…