The grant will fund 15 to 26 firefighter jobs, according to his spokeswoman Sarah Erkmann. Firefighter union president Rod Harris said the money will let the department fill positions left vacant because of supposed budget shortfalls.
The money comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Grants program. According to FEMA, the grant program was created to help fire departments increase the number of trained firefighters available in their communities.
The Anchorage Fire Department has been afflicted by the city's budget woes over the past couple of years, with positions left unfilled, layoffs of non-firefighters and rolling closures of engine companies, and removals from duty of firetrucks. Sullivan ended the rolling closures on Jan. 1.
"It'll basically help us fill positions that exist now; we're not creating any new positions," Harris said.
The city spent $2.6 million on overtime for firefighters in 2010, Harris said, and much of that was incurred because firefighters had to work extra shifts to cover for the vacant positions, he said.
Overtime for firefighters was expected to exceed $5 million before the SAFER grant award and the positions it's expected to pay for.
Harris said Anchorage residents could thank their congressional delegation -- Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich and Rep. Don Young -- for working hard to get the funds.
Daily News reporter Casey Grove contributed to this story.
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