Through the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program, the Sacramento Fire Department was awarded $5,606,864 to hire 27 firefighters and restore two fire companies. The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District was awarded $5,470,824 to hire 24 firefighters. The SAFER grant is awarded annually through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide financial assistance to help fire departments increase their cadre of frontline firefighters. The goal is to assist local fire departments with staffing and deployment capabilities so they may respond to emergencies whenever they occur, assuring their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards.