Following the town's approval to hire eight additional firefighter/paramedics with initial help from a $1.46 million federal grant, U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro paid a personal visit to Branford Fire Department (BFD) to celebrate and support the grant and to recognize the important work of Branford's career and volunteer firefighters. The new hires will represent the first major manpower increase to the department in 13 years.

As previously reported, Fire Chief Thomas Mahoney and Fire Commission chair Robert Massey Jr. spearheaded the department and Fire Commission's successful application for a Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant (see related story). The grant will be spread out over four years, with the first year offering the most assistance to help offset hiring costs that are estimated to add $1.2 million per year to the town budget.

"This grant is the end result of a long process here. Branford is a combination fire department -- we are career and volunteer. We are firefighters, but we also provide the emergency medical services," Mahoney said. "Staffing has been a struggle for us. We are an older community and we are an aging community where EMS calls are the largest drivers of our need for services; [and] they have really taken over our career staff being pulled out of town on multiple ambulance calls."

Mahoney and other leaders of BFD and the town were on-hand to greet DeLauro at Branford fire headquarters on Sept. 18.

"Like many municipalities across the state, we strive to maintain the current services we have in town, but also to meet the demand and needs that are pressed upon us," said First Selectman Jamie Cosgrove. "Certainly in Connecticut, many municipalities are facing uncertain times with the state fiscal crisis. However, we're pleased, through the work of our delegation including Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, that we're able to secure this federal grant to help us meet the challenges coming toward the fire department."

Thanking the gathered firefighters and paramedics for their service, DeLauro told them,  "I am really humbled by the work that you do," adding, "...I've been a strong supporter of the SAFER program because it funds directly to fire departments and fire safety organizations, which means you can maintain a strong work force and a safe work force, which is all the more important to our communities."

Thanking DeLauro and noting Connecticut's entire congressional delegation are all members of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, working hard to bring home grants such as this, Mahoney said, "...without this SAFER grant, I don't think we would have had the fuel to start the fire, so to speak, in getting our community to agree to fund these positions. They know what the implication is in year four when the grant runs out [and] that they're going to have to take on this burden, and they are willing to do so."

As well as thanking the town's leadership for supporting pursuit of the grant, Mahoney thanked fire department leaders and fire commission members for their work in bringing the need, and the grant opportunity, to the forefront.

"We thank the fire commission, who are really our point people on the political side and really made this possible in the conversation on the local level; and First Selectman Cosgrove, the RTM [Representative Town Meeting] and the Board of Finance. They really came together to make this happen," said Mahoney.

Fire Commission chairman Robert Massey Jr.  said the grant ends a long period of the town "...kicking the can down the road," to address fire department staffing needs. Massey said the new hires will finally allow the department to upgrade manpower shift numbers from eight to ten, adding, "...it's been my dream to see this."