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-J

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