REVERE — Twelve new firefighters will join the department’s ranks beginning early next year, after the city was awarded $2.5 million in federal staffing grants, officials announced Monday.
The new hires will serve as full-time personnel across the city’s five fire stations. They are all expected to start at the beginning of the year, but hiring may be staggered depending on fire academy placements, exam scores, and interviews, Revere Mayor Patrick Keefe told reporters at a press conference.
The $2.5 million is part of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant program. The program is designed to increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters at a local department, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Currently, each of the fire stations in Revere are operating with three firefighters per shift,” Senator Ed Markey said at the press conference held at Station 1. “This new award, with 12 new firefighters, will enable the city to staff an additional firefighter at every station.”
According to the National Fire Protection Association, a minimum of four on-duty members are needed to staff an engine.
The city has 123 uniformed firefighters, including the chief, as of Tuesday, according to the mayor’s office.
“Revere, and other communities across the Commonwealth, deserve to know that when they call 911, first responders can quickly [and] reliably come to their aid,” Markey said. “Those first responders deserve the basic dignity of knowing when they clock into work that they will return home safely at the end of that shift.”
The federal investment in local services is critical, Markey added.
“Revere is a great community, but it’s not a super wealthy community. Revere needs help, and that’s what this is all about,” he said.
Separately, FEMA announced that the Barnstable Fire District was awarded a staffing grant — $1.4 million toward hiring six new firefighters.
More than $18 million has been awarded to fire departments and first responder stations across the state for protective gear, emergency vehicles, and wellness initiatives, the Globe reported last month.
“This funding is a true game changer for our department, directly translating into more firefighters on the job every day,” said Revere Fire Chief James Cullen.
Keefe said the city can typically only afford to hire one or two firefighters each year. The city has about 60,000 residents.
“With the growth of our community, we need to do a little bit more than that,” he said.
With the grant, that staffing can be expedited, according to Keefe, without dipping into city funding.
“The fact that Revere got 20 percent of the federal funds is no surprise to me, because it’s also the fastest-growing city in the Commonwealth,” said State Senator Lydia Edwards.
Investing in the Revere Fire Department ensures mutual aid can be continued in communities like Winthrop, Chelsea, and East Boston, Edwards said.
Madyline Swearing can be reached at madyline.swearing@globe.com.