The Peachtree City Council voted Thursday to accept a $650,000 grant over a five-year period to hire six new firefighters.

The six firefighters would add two firefighters per shift for a total of 19 firefighters at all four fire stations.

“Manpower is the most important thing we need right now,” said Fire Chief Ed Eiswerth.

Eiswerth credited Assistant Chief Peki Prince for securing the grant, as she filed the application this year for the first time though others have done so in the past, albeit unsuccessfully.

The federal funds require only a $50,238 match in the first year, escalating each subsequent year. But due to the city’s financial crunch the fire department has made cuts in its budget to meet the grant match.

Among those cuts are a delay in a number of purchases including dive team and water rescue equipment, firefighting foam, station cleaning supplies and more.

Also the department is diverting money from professional services including funds for drug screening, medical physicals and vaccines in addition to foregoing several training conferences.

Over the five-year life of the grant the city will have to pick up more than $1 million for the firefighters’ salaries.

Eiswerth also mentioned that the city should know in a matter of months whether its ISO rating will drop from four to three. Such an action would allow some residents to get a cut in their home insurance premiums.

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