Revere's fire department is about to grow, and Chelsea is among the neighbors expected to benefit.

Revere has won about $2.5 million from the federal government to hire 12 firefighters, the Revere Journal reported. Officials announced the award at Revere Fire Headquarters. The money comes from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response program, known as SAFER.

State Sen. Lydia Edwards, who is credited with helping secure the funding, said the investment also helps Winthrop, Chelsea and East Boston.

What the grant pays for

The award was part of nearly $4 million FEMA gave to Massachusetts fire and first-responder organizations. Revere was the largest recipient, the Journal reported. U.S. Sen. Ed Markey called Revere "one of the very few communities in the country to receive this funding."

The 12 new full-time firefighters would be spread across the city's five fire stations, according to the Boston Globe. They're expected to start in early 2027, though hiring may be staggered depending on fire academy placements, exam scores and interviews.

Why Revere needed the help

Mayor Patrick Keefe told the Globe that the city of about 60,000 residents can usually afford to hire only one or two firefighters a year. The grant lets Revere speed up hiring without using city money. The mayor's office reported 123 uniformed firefighters, including the chief.

Each Revere station now runs with three firefighters per shift, Markey said, according to the Globe. The National Fire Protection Association says at least four on-duty members are needed to staff an engine. Markey said the award would let the city add a firefighter at every station. He described Revere as "not a super wealthy community."

Fire Chief James Cullen called the funding "a true game changer" for the department.

Building on earlier gains

Keefe said SAFER and other grants have already helped reopen and fully staff the Point of Pines fire station and increase staffing citywide. The city is also graduating 11 new firefighters from the academy. Those graduates are separate from the 12 hires the new grant will pay for.

This isn't Revere's first SAFER award. In 2019, the city announced a $681,503 SAFER grant to hire four firefighters, according to a City of Revere announcement.

What it means for Chelsea

Edwards said Revere provides mutual aid across the region. That means its crews can help when a neighboring department needs backup. Chelsea was named alongside Winthrop and East Boston as a community that benefits.

The reports don't say how often Revere crews respond in Chelsea, or describe any change in how mutual aid works. So think of it as more firefighting capacity in the region, not a new service for Chelsea.

What to watch

Watch for the hiring process and the new firefighters' start dates, expected in early 2027. Until the 12 are hired and trained, the grant is money committed, not more crews on the street.