According to the City of North Chicago website:
Federal Grant sparks hiring initiative at North Chicago Fire Department
$764,000 FEMA grant to aid in hiring of up to six firefightersNorth Chicago, IL (March 20, 2013) – North Chicago Mayor Leon Rockingham announced … it will bolster the ranks of the city’s fire department by adding as many as six new firefighters. The hiring initiative, which will allow the Department to more fully staff each shift, comes thanks to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant.
The grant, which is funded through the Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, provides the North Chicago Fire Department with $764,000 to hire and train six firefighters/paramedics.
Mayor Rockingham thanked US Senator Dick Durbin and Congressman Brad Schneider for supporting efforts to secure the funding, which is part of a Department of Homeland Security program to help local fire departments maintain 24-hour staffing and ensure that they are able to adequately provide emergency services to communities.
The City applied for the grant in August 2012, citing attrition of experienced firefighters and EMS professionals in the department as a need to bolster staffing.
“Our nation’s firefighters are called upon day after day to protect America’s citizens,” Durbin said. “As these brave men and women put themselves in harm’s way, we must ensure that our fire departments have enough trained firefighters and that they are equipped with the best resources possible to do their jobs well.”
“I am so happy that North Chicago has earned grants that will allow them to enhance operations and hire more critically-needed firefighters,” Schneider said. “Our dedicated first responders put their lives on the line to protect us every day from harm, and it’s essential we provide them with the resources they need to keep our communities safe.”
The City maintains a list of eligible, potential employees based on an entrance exam it administered last fall. Candidates for the positions will be individuals whose names are on that list.
North Chicago Fire Chief Dell Urban said news of the grant was welcomed enthusiastically by members of the Department, who can now look forward to more robust coverage on shifts and emergency calls.
“We’re doing a great job with the resources we have, but any firefighter or paramedic will tell you that having more men and women in the department makes us all safer and better equips us to respond to emergencies and serve North Chicago residents more effectively,” said Urban. “Our firefighters are always working hard to secure available resources so that we can perform our jobs at the highest level possible. They should be commended for their work to secure this funding.”
Rockingham has asked Urban to move quickly to begin the hiring process. Both expect to bring new professionals on board within the next two months.
