Rural volunteer firefighters to benefit from SAFER Grant | News

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas rural volunteer firefighters have been awarded a $694,000 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Charles Gangluff, program manager of the Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils, worked tirelessly with the Arkansas Rural Fire Protection Program to successfully earn this grant. It took effect May 1, 2012 and will benefit all active rural volunteer firefighters in the state of Arkansas until May 2016.

“These volunteer firefighters have magnificent impacts on their communities,” Gangluff said. “We’re thrilled to have been awarded this grant so we can provide supplemental coverage for firefighters who make countless sacrifices for their neighborhoods.”

This supplemental coverage provides disability and income replacement benefits up to $100 per week for active rural volunteer firefighters in addition to the $20 weekly workers’ compensation benefits paid to rural volunteer firefighters with a compensable workers’ compensation injury.  The coverage through the grant also adds other insurance benefits for rural volunteer firefighters including Accidental Death and Dismemberment as well as medical expense benefits.

Associations and organizations involved with this SAFER Grant now focus on spreading the word about the grant to volunteer rural firefighters across the state.

“The AAC is very proud to help these fine men and women get what they have earned and so richly deserve,” said Becky Comet, AAC member benefits manager. “We will be meeting with the fire departments on a county-by-county basis to explain the benefits that are now available to active rural volunteer firefighters in our state.”