Flint Firefighter Jobs Saved By Federal Grant

It wasn't too long ago that we reported on Flint raising taxes and laying off police and firefighters.  Luckily, those firefighters will be keeping their jobs, thanks to a $6.9 million dollar grant, which was finalized today by city officials.

If you pay attention to what's going on in the city, you know that Flint needs as many firefighters as humanly possible.  We reported a few weeks ago about budget cuts that would lay off over 30 Flint firefighters, along with police and other public service employees.  The move wasn't popular with local residents, but looking at expiring grants and the budget of the time, the city didn't have any other option.

Luckily, the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant was renewed for the city, providing an extra $6.9 million for staffing and operating costs.  The money will keep Flint fire stations staffed and functioning for 2 years.

It's debatable if this is the best spending of federal money, but what can't be denied is that there will be more people looking out for the safety of Flint, and I consider that a good thing.

Source: MLive.com