Firefighters Union calls for Atlantic City to renew SAFER Grant; Local 198 members to take demand to City Council meeting Wednesday

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J., March 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Union representing the 234 firefighters charged with protecting the citizens and properties of Atlantic City today demanded that Atlantic City's City Council force the City to apply for renewal of the federally funded SAFER Grant, which has been used by the City to fully fund 50 Firefighters positions in the City.

Christopher "Mike" Emmell, President of IAFF Local 198, said union members would be attending Wednesday's Council meeting to deliver their demand and to point out the serious threat to the health and safety of Atlantic City residents and businesses that will result from a failure to apply for renewal.

"This grant is funded by federal taxes that residents and businesses in Atlantic City have already paid. It makes no sense for the City to miss this opportunity to have the federal government assist the City's finances," said Emmell. "To make matters worse, our Union has offered to help the City with the renewal and we have been ignored."

Emmell recently testified in City Council that the City's financial troubles were not created by public workers and that the need for the services they provide, especially in the areas of public health and safety, do not decrease when a City is trying to find a way to recover by attracting new development and businesses.

"The SAFER Grant is contingent on the City maintaining firefighters staffing levels at 180, which is where we now stand, in order to have an additional 50 positions funded," said Emmell. "We believe that a failure to apply for a SAFER Grant renewal puts both the health and safety of residents and the long-term recovery of the City in jeopardy."

Emmell said that his union's members were "very upset" with the news that the City may not apply for renewal and they planned to express their concerns at Wednesday's 6:00 pm City Council meeting.

"We intend to be there and make sure that Council members know that the City's failure to renew the SAFER Grant is nothing less than a negligent act which unnecessarily exposes residents and tourists to public health and safety risks," said Emmell. "The SAFER Grant renewal application must be submitted by this Friday, March 6^th, so a quick decision is important. If the City fails to apply, the consequences could be dire."

SOURCE Atlantic City Firefighters Local 198