Full-time fire rescue personnel are now supplementing emergency response efforts in southern Albemarle County. Albemarle County Fire Rescue is now staffing the North Garden Volunteer Fire Company Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. This began on November 7.
In a release sent out by Albemarle County this week, Fire Rescue Chief Dan Eggleston said this strengthens a partnership between his department and the volunteer organization.
“As volunteer rates decrease across the country, departments locally are committed to working together to provide effective and efficient emergency services to the people of Albemarle County,” Eggleston said.
Funding for the five positions assigned to North Garden comes from a grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Response (SAFER) program. The $1.88 million grant covers a total of ten positions for three years, according to the county’s FY23 budget (page 258) The city of Charlottesville was awarded a similar amount through SAFER.
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