A $3.26 million federal grant will help Fulton County pay firefighter salaries, allowing the Fire and Rescue Department to add seven positions, according to Chief Larry Few. The department handles fire protection for unincorporated south Fulton, covering about 100 square miles and 87,500 people.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response, or SAFER, grant, will cover 32 firefighter positions, twenty five of which were funded with a previous grant. The program funds salaries for two years, or three if the department hires military veterans, Few said.