By: centraljersey.com
ROBBINSVILLE – The Robbinsville Division of Fire has received its second federal grant in three weeks and intends to use this one to buy new hoses for the fire engine, Fire Director John Archer said Monday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) notified Robbinsville Jan. 14 of its $51,228 Assistance to Firefighters Grant for training and equipment purchases. According to the FEMA website, Robbinsville was one of 10 New Jersey fire departments to share in the latest round of AFG grants; 11other fire departments in the state were awarded AFG equipment grants in December.
"Every year we lose about 10 to 15 lengths of hose because it fails and needs to be replaced," Mr. Archer said. "This grant enables us to replace what Robbinsville taxpayers cannot afford to pay for right now."
The news of the AFG award comes on the heels of the federal government’s Dec. 24 announcement that the Robbinsville has been awarded a $700,604 hiring grant under a different FEMA program designed to boost firefighter staff levels.
The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant will enable the township to hire four laid-off firefighters and keep them on the payroll for two years. Mayor Dave Fried has said he hopes to be able to retain whoever is hired beyond the two-year grant period, possibly by obtaining another grant.
The Robbinsville fire department currently has eight active volunteers and 14 paid men who are regularly assigned to firefighting duties. The SAFER grant will enable the department to increase staffing levels so there are four paid firefighters on the engine responding to fires, instead of three.
The National Fire Protection Association standard is to staff an engine with four firefighters, instead of three, because having the additional manpower is a safer and more efficient way to attack a fire.
Capt. Daniel Schaffener wrote both successful grant applications for the Robbinsville Division of Fire, Mr. Archer said Monday.
At the last Township Council meeting, Mayor Fried credited Capt. Schaffener’s knack for writing successful grant applications with bringing in $2 million in federal funds for the department in recent years.

