The City of Roseville has been awarded a $3.9 million federal grant to help pay for 15 new firefighter positions to meet rising demand for emergency services.
The Federal Emergency Management Administration Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response Grant, also called the FEMA SAFER Grant, helps cover a portion of the new firefighters’ salaries for three years. In years one and two, FEMA covers 75% of the personnel costs. In year three, FEMA covers 35% of the cost.
Roseville Fire competed with other cities across the country for the grant.
The Roseville City Council formally accepted the grant at the October 13 council meeting. This grant will help the City Council make decisions concerning the 2026 City Budget, which will be finalized in December.
"This grant and commitment from the Roseville community towards our enhanced staffing will be a monumental step forward for our department’s ability to provide an improved level of service and to ensure we continue to provide high-quality emergency services into the future," said Roseville Fire Chief David Brosnahan.
In January 2025, Roseville Fire Department leaders completed a staffing study and requested that the City Council add 15 firefighters starting in 2026. Roseville firefighters responded to 7,544 calls in 2024, an increase of more than 9 percent in one year’s time. Total annual call volume has increased 51.8% since 2018.
The department currently has 24 full-time firefighters.
“The fire department is facing significant challenges in managing the growing demand for emergency services,” Brosnahan said. “This is a serious issue for the community as emergency response times and the ability to provide adequate and equitable response and services are critical to the safety and well-being of the community.”