The Federal Emergency Management Association has awarded the city of Colleyville $425,207 for the hiring of new firefighters, according to a Sept. 13 news release. The funding comes from FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant program.

The money will be used to fund three additional firefighter positions, Colleyville Community Relations Specialist Erin Spicer said in an email. SAFER program guidelines stipulate the grant money must be used for personnel.

The SAFER program is designed to help increase the number of trained firefighters at fire stations and volunteer organizations to improve deployment capabilities and provide better protection to communities, according to the news release.

“Firefighters are on the front lines of keeping our communities safe, and they deserve every resource possible at their disposal,” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn said in the news release. “I applaud area leaders for their work to obtain this grant.”