The Hoboken Fire Department will hire four new recruits after receiving a $1,177,988.28 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant, U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The safety of our communities and residents is one of the most fundamental services a government can provide which is why I am proud to advocate at every opportunity for New Jersey fired departments to receive SAFER grants,” Menendez said in a statement.
“This funding will help these local fire departments increase safety and improve services while also helping our brave firefighters do the lifesaving work they so selflessly perform.”
The Ship Bottom and Toms River Fire Departments also received $441,600 and $508,256 SAFER grants, respectively, for recruitment and retention of firefighters.
In the case of Hoboken, the funding will be enough to cover the salaries of four firefighters for four years.
“Our brave firefighters selflessly put their lives on the line every day to protect us. These grants will enable fire departments to respond swiftly to emergencies and keep their communities secure,” added Booker.
“These critical funds will allow the city to bring on more qualified firefighters, helping the Hoboken Fire Department better protect and serve our community,” noted Mayor Ravi Bhalla, who also thanked U.S. Rep. Rob Menendez (D-8) for his assistance.
Nationwide, SAFER grants come from funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
“This SAFER grant will ensure that the Hoboken Fire Department has additional resources to continue the selfless and dedicated work that its firefighters perform every single day in one of New Jersey’s most densely populated cities,” explained Rob Menendez.
Nice bait and switch; the Feds kick in for new hires and then the costs bury the community for years to come. Oh and don’t forget about the kickers with benefits and the pensions.
Why all the complaints about cops and fire fighters? They put their lives on the line, a lot more serious and important than your job. Do you have a job?
This is less about “cops and fire fighters” and more about this administration’s inability to manage projects or a budget. The bills will come due some day and those who are running up the tab will be long gone.
Bold claims, with no examples to back them up. Tell us.
Another reader graciously provided the following, in response to a different story, which we will label -” Best of Can’t Miss Projects Run Amok…..”
“NY Waterway is not going to locate maintenance operations and refueling facilities at Union Dry Dock. It will not happen during this administration, over my dead body.
The Hilton Hotel Project will directly benefit residents across the City creating hundreds of jobs, millions in tax revenues, and critical improvements to neighborhood infrastructure. This project is a win-win for the City and I look forward to breaking ground on the new hotel next year.
To have the benefit of a new pool at the YMCA, free to the public so children will learn how to swim is really monumental for our community.
It is the function of the Superintendent and Board of Education, not the Mayor and City Council, to make policy decisions and implement this type of project, if the School Board so chooses. With this in mind, Team Bhalla, as Mayor and Council Members, would accord appropriate deference and support to the leadership of our school district in its efforts regarding the development of a new high school or the renovation of our current one. I’m glad to share that I will be enthusiastically voting “YES” on the BOE’s proposal, as I know this investment will serve all of Hoboken for generations to come. This is a historic, once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring our high school facility to the 21st Century. With a YES vote, we have the ability to take public education in Hoboken to a bright future. This is a world-class city, the time is now for it to have world-class high school facilities.
As residents may know, my administration is committed to following through on a new municipal complex and recreation center in our North End. Oh 100 percent, it’s gonna get done one way or another. In terms of how, we’re just gonna go through the process and that process of democracy. It’s like making sausage: it’s never easy, sometimes it’s messy, but we are 1,000 percent committed to uplifting our city employees: our fire, police, essential workers, people who work on the front lines every day to protect our residents. Those are the people that this complex is gonna benefit, as well as the residents. There’s so much vision and potential behind this project: there’s no way it’s not gonna happen.”
The budget examples will arrive in June….