SALISBURY — FEMA has awarded the Salisbury Fire Department two grants totaling more than $1.25 million to hire nine firefighters for Fire Station 6.

The SAFER grant also will allow the department to add an arson task force to the Loss Prevention Investigations division.

“The three-year Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant of $732,235 will pay 75 percent of firefighters’ pay the first two years and 35 percent the third year,” said Division Chief Jay Baker, who helped draft the grant application for the Fire Department.

The City Council approved a $455,171 match of the grant on Aug. 21.

The grant will provide the Fire Department with money to increase full-time firefighters from 77 to 86. The department will begin accepting applications for the jobs Friday and close Oct. 3

The Federal Emergency Management Agency also awarded a fire prevention grant of $69,870, which Terry Smith, the fire marshal and division chief, and the Loss Prevention Investigations division applied for.

The City Council unanimously approved a 5 percent match of $3,493 for that grant award on Tuesday.

“This grant would enable the department to implement an Arson Task Force comprised of highly trained and educated personnel, supplied with state-of-the-art equipment, enabling the LPI division to aggressively investigate the origin and causes of all fires, explosions and major hazardous materials incidents occurring within the city of Salisbury,” Smith said.

Fire Chief Bob Parnell said he is pleased that the department was selected to receive the grants “as we continue to serve the city of Salisbury at the highest possible levels of service.”