EAST LIVERPOOL — East Liverpool City Council voted Monday night to hire several new firefighters to the city's fire department using federal grant money.

Fire Chief Antony Cumo tells 21 News the department is currently down one firefighter with 14 on staff. According to a letter from Chief Cumo, the department's budget allows for 15 firefighters.

"These men and women have really been busting their butts and working a lot of overtime, and it's wearing on them," Cumo said in an interview. 

Council voted for the legislation that would allow the city to hire four new firefighters for a total of 18, with the federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant paying for three of them. 

According to East Liverpool Third Ward Councilman Jeff Kreefer, the council passed the legislation with a vote of seven to zero. Cumo thanked the council for supporting the move. 

"For the first time in 129 years, we're going to be able to staff our ladder truck with four firefighters, so that's hitting a big milestone for the fire department," Cumo said. "For the safety of the community, it makes a huge difference when you're going from two to three to four firefighters on that truck."

The East Liverpool Fire Department (ELFD) had applied to the SAFER grant program, run by FEMA, many times in the past 15 years, according to former Fire Chief William Jones. Jones said he is "ecstatic" to see the grant money finally come into the city. 

"Actually, I'm a little jealous because I was unable to obtain it, and Chief Cumo was, so I'm very proud of him," said Jones, who currently serves as the city's safety service director. 

With a fully-staffed fire station, Cumo said the ELFD will be able to run a second ambulance. This could generate more EMS revenue, improve response times and allow the ELFD to give surrounding communities greater assistance on calls. 

The SAFER Grant cost-shares these firefighters' salaries for three years. The city will be responsible for 25% of their salaries for the first two years and 65% in the third year. Following that, the city will assume full responsibility of their salaries.

Cumo says the city will be able to afford to maintain these firefighters after those three years thanks to a reduction in overtime costs and the additional EMS revenue.

Cumo's letter said overtime costs are at $180,663.63 year-to-date, a decrease of nearly $20,600 from previous years. Cumo said had the department been fully staffed at 15 firefighters, even more money could have been saved.

"We're going to be able to fund those three positions past this [grant] just in the savings of overtime, and then the increase in EMS revenue," Cumo said.