The Newberry Fire Department is receiving almost $600,000 to hire new firefighters.

U.S. Rep. John Spratt and Senator Lindsey Graham announced last week that $578,242 in federal assistance would go to the city fire department.

The grant money, from the Department of Homeland Security, is part of a nationwide funding initiative designed to strengthen the nation's ability to respond to fire and fire-related hazards and improve the country's overall level of preparedness.

The $578,000 will allow the city to hire six additional firefighters.

“This is the first staffing increase since the mid-1980s,” said Fire Chief Joe Palmer. “The staffing addition is to ensure the ISO three (insurance rating) is secure with recent annexations and to ensure safety and efficiency of our responders with additional first apparatus personnel.”

The insurance ratings are ranked from the best, one, to the worst, which is a nine.

Coincidentally, Palmer was in Washington, D.C. visiting elected officials when he was notified that his department had received the grant, and Palmer was able to thank each of the congressmen personally.

“The goal here is to help fire departments attain and maintain 24-hour staffing and to assure that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards,“ said Spratt. “I am delighted Newberry Fire Department won the award.“

“Firefighters and emergency service personnel dedicate themselves to protecting the health and safety of South Carolinians,“ Graham adds. “These grants will help our local fire departments by assisting them in hiring more personnel to help make our communities safer.“