October 18, 2025
New Grant Brings Relief to Firefighters and Faster Service to the Community
By Frank Stanfield
New Grant Brings Relief to Firefighters and Faster Service to the Community
Though it may only be a few minutes, for anxious callers it seems like it takes forever for a fire truck to arrive. However, county firefighters may soon be able to respond quicker, thanks to a $7.5 million federal hiring grant.
“This is a really positive development,” says Anthony Cuellar, deputy chief of operations for Lake County Fire Rescue. “Getting 36 extra firefighters is as good as it gets.”
County commissioners recently approved the matching grant from the Department of Homeland Security, which calls for the federal government to cover 75 percent of the cost for the first two years and 35 percent in the third. The funding will pay for salaries and benefits for the new hires.
Starting pay for firefighter EMTs is $55,072, and the department hopes to fill all 36 positions by mid-January.
The grant comes at a time when recruiting has been challenging.
“Covid reduced the number of public safety workers in general,” Anthony says. “Interest is picking up, though, and we’re getting inquiries from across the state—from Tallahassee to Miami.”
Ironically, the success of the federal program is creating some friendly competition among agencies.
“The grant will make it a little harder to fill the slots because some surrounding departments also received grants,” Anthony added.
Currently, the county has 303 firefighters, operating out of 27 stations with 28 fire trucks, towers and ladders.
There are no immediate plans to open new stations.
“The grant is not for infrastructure,” Anthony says.
Timing is everything in an emergency, and recommended federal response times measure the critical minutes from when a 911 call is received to when the first unit arrives. Each Lake County fire truck carries a paramedic, allowing crews to stabilize patients until an ambulance arrives for transport.
A few years ago, Lake County merged its ambulance service with its fire department to improve coordination.
“We’re one big family now,” Anthony says.
The county also maintains mutual aid agreements with city departments to help reduce response times.
Last year, the Professional Firefighters of Lake County IAFF Local 3990 voiced concerns about staffing shortages. Union officials could not be reached for comment, but Anthony said union leadership is pleased with the latest development.
“This will really help our firefighters and the community,” he says. “It means more help on the ground—and faster help for residents who need us most.”
Photos provided by Lake County Fire Rescue
Frank Stanfield has been a journalist for more than 40 years, including as an editor and reporter for the Daily Commercial, Orlando Sentinel and Ocala Star-Banner. He has written three books, “Unbroken: The Dorothy Lewis Story,” “Vampires, Gators and Wackos, A Florida Newspaperman’s Story,” and “Cold Blooded, A True Crime Story of a Murderous Teenage Cult.” He has appeared on numerous national and international broadcasts, including Discovery ID, Oxygen and Court TV. He maintains a blog at frankestanfield.com. Stanfield graduated with a political science degree from the University of North Florida and a master’s in journalism at the University of Georgia.
