Fayetteville to hire 18 firefighters with $2.3M federal grant

Fayetteville, North Carolina, will use a federal FEMA SAFER grant of more than $2.3 million to hire 18 firefighters and staff two additional ladder-truck companies, expanding its department from 369 to 387 personnel. The new crews are intended to improve fire-response coverage in a growing city that handles more than 30,000 calls annually, addressing areas identified by department assessments as needing additional resources. The federal grant will cover much of eligible salary and benefit costs during its three-year term, but the city will assume the full ongoing expense afterward, estimated at $1.3 million to $1.4 million annually. The department expects to put the new positions and trucks into service in early 2027.