Warren Fire Department Gets Nearly $2.8M Grant

WARREN (WWJ/AP) - A Detroit-area fire department is getting a nearly $2.8 million grant to help hire more firefighters.

Democratic Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin on Thursday announced the federal support for the Warren Fire Department.

The money is from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters grant program. It is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program and aims to help departments stay ready to fight fires.

Stabenow said the grant provides the resources the department needs to perform their duties safely and to protect the public.

Levin agreed, saying firefighters "put their lives on the line to protect us, and it's our obligation to give them the tools, training and support they need."

Like many others in the metro Detroit area, the Warren fire department has dealt with cuts to both personnel and budgets. Voters in August approved a five-year millage to help save dozens of police and fire department jobs. The tax is expected to raise $16 million its first year.

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