Tester Announces Nearly $600,000 for Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department

Senator Secures Funding to Hire More Firefighters

(U.S. Senate) – U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced that the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department will be receiving $569,060 to hire four new additional firefighters.

Tester, Ranking Member of the subcommittee that appropriates firefighting grants, has toured the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department and been advocating for resources for them.

“The fine folks at the Butte-Silver Bow Fire Department do great work every day keeping our community safe,” said Tester. “These additional resources will help them increase the number of folks who are serving on the frontlines every day.”

The grant comes from FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) program, which provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighters to help increase and maintain the number of trained firefighters in rural communities.

“The Butte Silver Bow Fire Department appreciates the support of the Butte Chief Executive and Council of Commissioners for allowing us to pursue this grant,” said Butte-Silver Bow Fire Chief Jeff Miller. “We truly appreciate Senator Tester’s long-standing support of fire services throughout Montana and his strong understanding of public safety. This funding will truly strengthen the community of Butte.”

In addition to securing these firefighting grants, Tester has introduced the bipartisan AFG and SAFER Program Reauthorization Act to reauthorize the SAFER grants, which are set to expire in January 2018. That bill, cosponsored by Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), has passed out of the Homeland Security Committee and is waiting a vote on the Senate floor.