In a nutshell
Missouri City received the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency Sept. 6, which will provide salaries and benefits for the 13 new hires for three years starting in March, Chief Mario Partida said in an email.
“The SAFER grant is a game-changer for our department,” Partida said. “With the addition of 13 new firefighters, we are better equipped to serve and protect our community as it continues to expand. This funding will enable us to enhance our emergency response capabilities and ensure we are maintain a safe community."
Meanwhile, Missouri City City Council approved 6% salary increases this year for police officers and fire department employees to support public safety personnel, Mayor Robin Elackatt said at the State of the City event Sept. 19.
“This grant provides 100% salary funding for additional firefighter positions amounting to—get this—$5 million,” City Manager Angel Jones said at the Sept. 19 event. “For our residents, this would equate to a five-cent property tax increase if we had to fund it. Please recognize we are only one of three cities in the state to receive this incredible funding.”
Hiring efforts to recruit the 13 new firefighters will begin in January, with department staff planning to have the new firefighters fully integrated into the 91-person team by March, Partida said.
“This infusion of personnel will allow the department to reduce response times, improve coverage and enhance overall public safety for residents,” he said.
Over the next three years, city and department staff will evaluate a plan to fund the positions after the funding is spent, he said.
