MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (September 26, 2025) – The Berkeley County Commission has been awarded a $1.8-million federal grant to hire 12 additional career firefighters.
Awarded by FEMA, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Safety Response (SAFER) grant will be used to cover a portion of the cost to employ the additional firefighters for the first three years.
“The additional firefighters will expand the County’s capacity for emergency response and enhance overall protection for residents, businesses, visitors and the firefighters themselves,” Berkeley County Commission President Eddie Gochenour said.
The Berkeley County Commission has committed $1.1 million in matching funds over the three-year grant period to receive the federal funding. The County must fully fund the new firefighter positions after the third year.
For the first and second year of the step-down grant award, FEMA provides 75% of the actual annual cost per firefighter (salary and standard benefits), and the County is obligated to contribute 25%. In Year 3, FEMA covers up to 35% and the County must fund the remaining 65%.
“This is the second time since 2018 that we have been able to take advantage of the SAFER grant program to help us provide greater fire protection services in our fast-growing community. We cannot take the foot off the accelerator,” Gochenour said.
The previous SAFER grant allowed for the hiring of seven career firefighters at Baker Heights Volunteer Fire Department for 24-hour fire protection coverage.
About SAFER Grants: The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grants (SAFER) was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. The goal of SAFER is to enhance the local fire departments' abilities to comply with staffing, response and operational standards established by the National Fire Protection Association.
About the Berkeley County Fire Department
Recognized as the first certified county fire department in West Virginia in 2022 by the West Virginia Fire Commission, Berkeley County Fire Department career firefighters utilize the fire apparatus of the county’s five volunteer departments and work side-by-side with the volunteer firefighters as part of a collaboration between the Berkeley County Fire Service Board and Berkeley County Commission.
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