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A $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security will fund six new firefighter positions for two years at Monterey Fire Department, Chief Andrew Miller announced Friday.

The new positions are expected to cut back on overtime for a joint department that covers the cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove, Sand City, and most recently Carmel after the City Council's contentious decision to join in to the shared fire services in 2011.

Monterey FD also responds to the Presidio of Monterey and the Naval Postgraduate School.

"Our regional approach to providing fire services with our partners helped us to successfully qualify for this grant award," Miller said in a statement.

He expects the six new positions to reduce overtime costs. The new employees will also be the department's first hires under the state's new tiered retirement benefits structure, designed to save on CalPERS expenses in the future.