JERSEY CITY, NJ - U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today announced the awarding of a $339,600 federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant to the South Orange Fire Department that will help fund the hiring of two new firefighters. (Photos below.)

"Nothing is more essential to keeping a community as safe as it can be as keeping firefighters on the job,"Sen. Menendez said."And not only will this funding create jobs and help protect our communities, it will also help maintain safe working conditions for our firefighters, who deserve nothing less than our best efforts to ensure they can perform their duties as safely and effectively as possible."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) SAFER program seeks to increase the number of frontline firefighters, enhancing the ability of grantees to attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.

"We recognize that the South Orange Fire Department could not have reached or sustained this level of excellence without strong and supportive partners in the c ounty, state and federal government, as well as our neighbors at Seton Hall University," said South Orange Village President Alex Torpey. "This SAFER grant will have a meaningful impact on the public safety of our residents and allow the Department to provide even better service to our community."

The South Orange Fire Department was the first to respond to the 2000 Seton Hall dormitory fire that killed three students and injured 58 others. The additional hires will bring its ranks of full-time professional firefighters up to 35.

"That tragedy 14 years ago only underscores the need for communities like this to have a fully staffed and equipped fire department at the ready," said Sen. Menendez, "because you never know when that bell will ring and what dangers lie ahead.

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Sen. Menendez says SAFER Grant will keep South Orange's Fire Department fully staffed and its residents safe.

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Sen. Menendez with one of South Orange's bravest and future heroes.

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Sen. Menendez and members of the Seton Hall University Student Government Association.

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Sen. Menendez greets members of the Seton Hall University Student Government Association.

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Sen. Menendez and Rep. Donald Payne greet local leaders.

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Sen. Menendez, U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (far left), South Orange Fire Chief John Shoemaker (center), South Orange Village President Alex Torpey and members of the Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

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Sen. Menendez thanks South Orange firefighters for their brave service.

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Sen. Menendez, South Orange Village President Alex Torpey (immediate right), Fire Chief John Shoemaker (far right) and South Orange firefighters.

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