LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Shepherdsville Fire Department is getting ready to expand its resources thanks to a federal grant.

The fire department in Bullitt County won't be using the funding for new equipment, instead will allow for more manpower. It's expected to save Shepherdsville Fire Department millions of dollars over the course of the next few years.

Branden Martin joined the Shepherdsville Fire Department four and half years ago. Now he's a driver.

"When I got hired that was a big group of people," Martin said. "I think it was eight people that got hired with me."

All of those trainees hired along with Martin had to have some firefighting experience. But that won't be a requirement anymore.

"This is the first time on hiring that we've been able to hire people right off the street," said Layne Troutman, Shepherdsville Fire Department chief. "And we're going to put them into Academy."

Training at Shepherdsville Fire Department

Images of Shepherdsville Fire Department.

Troutman said the $3.7 million "Safer Grant" will allow for the fire department to hire 12 new firefighters at no cost to the department for the next three years.

"It was shocking at first," Troutman said. "We were very happy to receive it."

The department will then have enough staff members for a fourth company and 16 people assigned to a 24-hour shift.

"The NFPA, they require you to be able to have 16 firefighters on scene within eight minutes of a house fire," Troutman said. "So this really helps us out."

Before the grant, the department had only 12 firefighters responding, which doesn't meet the National Fire Protection Association standard.

"It's important if you want the city to grow that emergency services should stay in line with that," Martin said.

The department currently has 35 full-time firefighters. The grant will eventually extend that number to 47 firefighters.

The hiring application process started on April 1. It will close on May 5. They hope to hire and start training all 12 firefighters this summer.

This is one of the largest Safer Grants ever awarded to a Kentucky department.

Martin's father was a firefighter and Troutman's father was the fire chief in Mount Washington for 21 years.

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