Botetourt County firefighters do daily training, a luxury the department never used to have.
But thanks in part to a FEMA grant known as Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response or S.A.F.E.R.; the county added eight full time firefighters and EMS responders to its volunteer force last May.
The added responders mean a full time firefighter is in the Fincastle station at all times and EMS workers are stationed in Fincastle, Troutville, and Buchanan.
Fincastle Volunteer Fire Chief Dave Moran said having a full time responder has significantly improved his department's response times.
"We've got three people on a truck going somewhere in this county on a call immediately, within a matter of seconds instead of minutes," Moran said.
The full time responders are proving to be a good financial move for the county as well.
Thanks to the S.A.F.E.R. grant the federal government picks up the entire cost for all the new personnel including salary and benefits for the first two years.
The county is required to pick up the cost in the third year.
Couple the S.A.F.E.R. grant with the county's growth and Assistant County Administrator Spencer Suter said it was a move that had to be made.
"Public safety is the most critical function that a local government provides,” he said. “So I can't stress enough how important it is to have this service."
Suter said it's likely the county will continue to fund the full time responders even after its grant obligation is complete in 2014.
He added that no matter what happens the volunteers will remain an important factor in the county's coverage.
As part of the expanded public safety coverage the Botetourt Co. Board of Supervisors approved a Director of Emergency Services position which will be filled as soon as possible.
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