Keene Awarded SAFER Grant to Hire Eight Additional Firefighters

KEENE, N.H. — The City of Keene has been awarded a federal grant that will allow the Keene Fire Department to hire eight additional firefighters, according to the Professional Firefighters of Keene, IAFF Local 3265.

The union announced the award Tuesday, saying the additional positions will put more firefighters on duty each day and improve the department’s ability to respond to multiple emergencies at the same time.

The funding comes through the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, Grant Program. The program is designed to help fire departments increase staffing and improve the number of trained firefighters available to respond to emergencies.

Keene had previously applied for SAFER funding as part of a broader effort to increase Fire Department staffing. City officials have cited growing demand for fire, EMS, hazardous materials, technical rescue and other emergency services.

Local 3265 said its members have advocated for additional staffing for several years as the department’s workload has increased.

“Adding eight firefighters is a significant step forward,” the union said in its announcement.

According to the union, the additional personnel are expected to strengthen the department’s response to structure fires and other major incidents, provide more resources when simultaneous emergencies occur and increase overall staffing depth.

City documents from earlier this year show Keene officials had been pursuing the 2025 FEMA SAFER Grant following an unsuccessful application in the previous grant cycle. In May, Fire Chief Jason Martin asked the City Council’s Finance, Organization and Personnel Committee to authorize the city manager to apply for, accept and expend the grant if awarded.

The firefighters union also thanked the Keene City Council for supporting efforts to increase staffing, calling the grant an investment in the future of the department and public safety in the city.

The Keene Fire Department operates from its Central Fire Station on Vernon Street and Station 2 on Hastings Avenue and provides fire suppression, emergency medical and other emergency response services to the city.

The total dollar amount of the SAFER award and a timeline for hiring the eight new firefighters were not included in the union’s announcement.