Biden Announces Reopening of Three Philadelphia Fire Companies with Federal Funding

The $22.4 Million SAFER Grant Will Fund Salaries, Benefits of 72 Firefighters, and Facilitate Reopening of Decommissioned Fire Companies

President Joe Biden announced the reopening of three decommissioned Philadelphia fire companies with federal funding.
The $22.4 million SAFER Grant will fund the salaries and benefits of 72 firefighters for three years and facilitate the reopening of Engine 6, Ladder 1, and Ladder 11.
The grant will also fund a new class of trainees to join the Philadelphia Fire Academy.
The reopening of these fire companies is particularly significant as they were decommissioned during the Great Recession and their absence was felt during a deadly rowhouse fire in the Fairmount neighborhood last year.
Following the announcement, Biden attended a campaign fundraiser in Philadelphia, ramping up his fundraising efforts for a potential 2024 rematch with former President Donald Trump.