KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) Keene could soon add eight firefighters to its department under a $1.67 million federal grant that received unanimous support from the City Council’s Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee Thursday evening.

The committee voted to recommend that the city accept, execute and expend the FY2025 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, which would provide funding toward hiring the additional personnel.

The new positions are intended to increase staffing levels and improve the department’s ability to respond to multiple emergencies occurring at the same time.

Fire Chief Greg Seymour told committee members that Keene anticipates handling approximately 6,700 calls annually, with overlapping incidents occurring about 48% of the time. The department also provides a range of services beyond traditional fire response, including paramedic services, technical rescue, airport response and hazardous materials assistance to 38 communities.

The department currently has 13 firefighters assigned to each shift, with a minimum staffing requirement of 12. Adding eight positions would increase the shift roster to 20 firefighters, allowing the city to work toward having 15 personnel available on duty.

The proposed expansion comes after the department added 12 firefighter positions beginning in 2022, at an estimated cost of approximately $1.5 million. Those additions included four positions in fiscal year 2024, four in FY2026 and another four in FY2027.

During Thursday’s meeting, representatives of the Professional Firefighters of Keene emphasized the importance of reaching 15 firefighters on duty consistently, arguing that the additional staffing is necessary to provide the level of emergency response the grant is intended to support.

Union President Rob Skrocki told the committee that Keene taxpayers deserve a fire department with adequate staffing to protect the community.

The discussion also touched on national staffing recommendations outlined in the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA 1710 standard, the department’s reliance on overtime and the limited availability of mutual aid from nearby career fire departments.

Members also discussed emerging public safety concerns, including fires involving lithium-ion batteries, and the potential for expanded public education and community risk-reduction programs. Seymour noted that staffing and available resources currently limit the department’s capacity to dedicate personnel to some prevention initiatives.

While the federal grant would cover a substantial portion of the hiring costs initially, the city’s financial responsibility would increase over time.

Under the grant’s funding structure, FEMA would pay 75% of the costs during the first two years and 35% during the third year. Keene would then be responsible for the full cost of the eight positions.

City officials outlined approximately $1.6 million in additional municipal costs in the later years, with the ongoing expense estimated to represent about 47 cents on the city’s tax rate. One estimate presented during the discussion suggested an annual impact of approximately $300 for a home assessed at $300,000.

Committee members expressed support for accepting the funding while acknowledging that maintaining the additional positions will require future budget decisions and consideration of other municipal priorities.

The committee’s unanimous recommendation does not finalize the hiring. The resolution will next go before the full Keene City Council for consideration.