Tester Secures More Than $350,000 for Red Lodge Firefighters

Grant will fund new firefighting jobs and recruitment

U.S. Senator Jon Tester today announced he secured $356,000 to help the Red Lodge Rural Fire District #7 recruit and retain needed firefighters and first responders.

“Firefighters risk their lives to protect our communities every day and it’s up to us to make sure they have everything they need to do their jobs safely,” said Tester. “This grant will ensure the Red Lodge Fire Department will have enough firefighters to get the job done and keep Red Lodge safe.”

The funding for the Red Lodge Rural Fire District #7 comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, which provides funding to professional and volunteer fire departments across America to ensure there are a sufficient number of well-trained firefighters to protect rural communities. Fire departments from across the nation apply through a competitive process for the awards.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Tester is a champion for both the SAFER and Assistance to Firefighter Grant (AFG) programs and helped secure a $5 million increase for both programs last year. In 2020, Montana fire departments received nearly $2 million through the SAFER and AFG Programs, including fire departments in Missoula, Great Falls, Butte, and Plains.