Phoenix Fire Department gets $8M federal grant

PHOENIX (AP) - The Phoenix Fire Department has been awarded an $8 million federal grant.

City officials say the money will be used to pay salary and benefits of 42 firefighters for the next two years.

Nearly 100 firefighters have been hired through Staffing For Adequate Fire and Emergency Response funding.

Without the FEMA funding, Phoenix Fire officials say the department would have been forced to pull emergency units out of operation.

Phoenix firefighters responded to almost 175,000 emergency incidents last year.