Local agencies awarded money to incentivize first responders to stay on the job

Middletown emergency agencies are some of several throughout Ohio getting money to incentivize retention. FILE

Credit: Nick Graham

Credit: Nick Graham

Middletown emergency agencies are some of several throughout Ohio getting money to incentivize retention. FILE

Tens of thousands of Ohio first responders from more than 300 agencies — including multiple in the Tri-State — will receive around $35 million in retention incentives.

The money comes from the Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience Program, created in 2022 to address burnout and staffing shortages. The Ohio Emergency Management Agency provides funding to support initiatives for first responders’ physical and mental health, recruit and restore workforce levels and address training costs.

Fifteen departments in Hamilton County alone received funding. First responders in Butler, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Highland and Warren counties were also included.

Some of those are:

Butler County

  • Butler County Sheriff’s Office: $772,153.88 for 200 responders
  • Fairfield Twp. Fire Dept.: $110,111.68 for 48 responders
  • Fairfield Twp. Police Dept.: $60,000 for 15 responders
  • Hamilton Fire Dept.: $376,000 for 94 responders
  • Liberty Twp. Fire Dept.:$191,965.00 for 52 responders
  • Madison Twp. Fire Dept.: $27,908.96 for 15 responders
  • Miami University Police Dept.: $104,000 for 26 responders
  • Middletown Division of Fire: $300,000 for 75 responders
  • Morgan Twp. Fire Dept.: $50,335.28 for 21 responders
  • Ross Twp. Fire Dept.: $59,219.42 for 34 responders
  • Trenton Fire Dept.: $55,652.98 for 33 responders
  • Trenton Police Dept.: $72,000 for 18 responders
  • West Chester police and fire departments: $692,000 for 173 responders

Warren County

  • Lebanon Fire Division: $107,383.48 for 29 responders
  • Salem Twp. Fire Dept.: $51,301.32 for 17 responders
  • Turtlecreek Twp. Fire/EMS: $68,300.41 for 24 responders

To date, around $100 million has been awarded to Ohio emergency response agencies. The program is supported by the $250 million in American Rescue Plan Act funding that state leaders dedicated to first responders.

“In Ohio, we value our first responders and know that the work they do is essential,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a release. “Our goal through this program is to ensure that our firefighters, EMTs, and law enforcement officers have the support and resources they need for their personal well-being and in their professional lives.”

To see the full list of grant recipients, visit https://tinyurl.com/2p8cd98v.

WCPO’s Taylor Weiter contributed to this report.

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