After a bit of number crunching, Lugoff Fire District (LFD) commissioners think they’ve found a way to save three firefighters’ jobs, pay for rising fuel costs and replace a fire truck. Last summer, the Federal Emergency Mangement Agency (FEMA) granted the LFD funds to hire three firefighters -- but the money didn’t come without strings attached. The Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant pays for the first two years of three firefighters’ employment, including salaries and benefits, but requires a third year of employment be paid in-full by the LFD. LFD attorney Charles Baxley told the board of commissioners May 9 that while meeting the grant requirement to keep the firefighters a third year wouldn’t be a problem, it wasn’t sustainable for more years to come.
LFD budget takes shape