The Department of Homeland Security has released statistics on the grant applications received during the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response application period that closed June 30.

The more than 1,700 applications represent a drop from last year, which saw nearly 3,000 applications. The amount of "federal share" money requested also dropped, from $1.14 billion to $738 million. However, the average "federal share" amount requested rose from aproximately $384,000 to $427,000. In any case, the program is budgeted at only $110 million.

A majority of the requests, 1,053, were for hiring grants. Recruitment grant requests came in at 563, and hiring and recruitment requests numbered 111. As for department type, most were volunteer and majority-volunteer combination departments, 474 and 579 respectively. All-paid numbered 364, and another 277 were majority-paid combination.

The purpose of the SAFER grants is to help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters. The goal is for fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities and ultimately attain 24-hour staffing, thus assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. SAFER is part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants program.

To view the complete statistics, go to www.firegrantsupport.com. Statistics for 2005 are also available at that Web site.