$1.5M grant helps Wis. FD pay for new firefighter/paramedics

Somers officials approved funding that covers most staffing costs for two years and part of a third, with recruiting underway

By Jillian Craig
Kenosha News

SOMERS, Wis. — The Somers Fire and Rescue Department could see a boost in staffing, thanks to grant funding that was approved by the Village Board on Oct. 14.

Trustees voted to accept a $1.53 million Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response grant, which would help pay for up to eight firefighter/paramedic positions.

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The department employs 60 people, but only 15 are full-time. That includes one chief, one deputy chief, five captains, three lieutenants and five firefighter/paramedics.

Based on current staffing levels, two full-time staff members are assigned to each station during each shift.

The grant, which expires in 2029, covers 75% of the additional staffing cost during the first two years and 35% during the third year. The department will have six months to advertise and recruit, and new hires are expected to start work in April.

Board President George Stoner said he was concerned about the village’s finances after the grant expires, citing issues that arose after previous grant funding that expired in 2006.

“At the end of the third year, or the fourth year, it just put us in a huge hole,” he said. “I feel that this is going to do the same thing.”

Trustee Scott Fredrick said that while he was familiar with those issues, he had faith in Chief Ben Andersen and the interim Village Administrator Jim Hurley to manage the funds.

“If we do this, I’d ask that we have a three-month update — we’ll do a report out: where are we at every three months? Every six months? — to make sure we’re tracking,” he said. “Make it a project management and we track ‘how are we trending? What do we need to do? Do we need make adjustments?’”

Stoner ultimately voted in favor of the grant, stating he was “going to go along with this and stay on top of it.”

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