CINCINNATI -- A $6.5 million grant from the federal government will help Cincinnati hire 40 more firefighters and pay their salaries for two years.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant means the city's 26 fire stations stay fully staffed.
There's no requirement for the city to provide matching funds, but City Manager Harry Black said Friday his administration set aside more than $400,000 for uniforms, testing, books and other training equipment.
Black is asking City Council to immediately approve legislation so the city can accept the grant. He expects a 40-member recruit class to begin early next year.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security awards SAFER grants through the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
