SALISBURY -- Salisbury officials this week announced 12 new firefighters hired with Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants have begun employment with the city’s fire department.

With the assistance of FEMA, SAFER grants were created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer fire organizations to help them increase the number of trained “front line” firefighters in their communities. The goal of the SAFER grants is to enhance local fire departments’ ability to comply with staffing, response and operational standards.

“Thanks to the SAFER grant, our community will receive the benefit of having a closed station reopen to its previous staffing level as well as increasing staffing throughout the entire department over the next two years,” said Mayor Jim Ireton, Jr. “Never before in the history of the department has there been 12 firefighters and EMTs hired at the same time and all starting on the same day.”

All 12 firefighters will go through two weeks of intense training that will introduce them to the city and department policies, procedures and emergency operations. A swearing-in ceremony has been set for Nov. 6.