Congresswoman Lee Announces Nearly $7 Million Investment to Hire, Train, and Retain Local Firefighters

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Susie Lee (NV-03) announced that southern Nevada received nearly $7 million in federal funding to support firefighter recruitment and retention through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program. 

“Southern Nevada’s firefighters put their lives on the line every single day to keep our families, homes, and businesses safe,” said Congresswoman Susie Lee. “These investments will help Clark County and the City of Las Vegas hire, train, and retain the firefighters they need to protect our communities when emergencies strike.”

As part of the SAFER grant program, local governments and fire departments in southern Nevada received funds to hire, train, and retain firefighters. Specifically, Clark County Fire Department received $3,071,284 and the City of Las Vegas received $3,757,393.

The SAFER grant program was created to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, the committee tasked with setting federal spending levels, Congresswoman Lee has fought to fully fund the SAFER grant program.

Throughout her time in Congress, Lee has successfully brought federal dollars home to Nevada to support firefighters, including $588,572 to support rural firefighters in remote areas. She is also leading the bipartisan Wildland Firefighter Hazard Pay Correction Act to ensure federal wildland firefighters and smokejumpers receive hazard pay for all dangerous activities, including prescribed burns and training jumps. 

###