Grants to bolster NJ cities after deep firefighter cuts

CAMDEN, N.J. — Two New Jersey cities are receiving staffing grants that will help put laid-off firefighters back on the job.

Camden cut about one-third of the city's firefighters on January 18, while Atlantic City laid off 30, according to The Star-Ledger .

The SAFER grants award Camden with $5.1 million and Atlantic City with $9.7 million, FEMA announced Wednesday.

"The cities of Atlantic City and Camden have been devastated by layoffs to their fire departments and this critical federal funding will put firefighters back on the job," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, the vice chairman of the Senate subcommittee on Homeland Security.