Assistance to Firefighters Program:
Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Lennard G. Kruger
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
January 10February 22, 2013
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RL32341
CRS Report for Congress
Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress
Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Summary
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program, also known as fire grants or the FIRE Act
grant program, was established by Title XVII of the FY2001 National Defense Authorization Act
(P.L. 106-398). Currently administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the program provides federal grants directly to local
fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help
address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs. A related
program is the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER)
program, which provides grants for hiring, recruiting, and retaining firefighters.
The fire grant program is now in its 13th year. The Fire Act statute was reauthorized in 2012 (Title
XVIII of P.L. 112-239) and provides new guidelines on how fire grant money should be
distributed. There is no set geographical formula for the distribution of fire grants—fire
departments throughout the nation apply, and award decisions are made by a peer panel based on
the merits of the application and the needs of the community. However, the law does require that
fire grants be distributed to a diverse mix of fire departments, with respect to type of department
(paid, volunteer, or combination), geographic location, and type of community served (e.g.,
urban, suburban, or rural).
For FY2012, P.L. 112-74, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, provided $675 million for
firefighter assistance, including $337.5 million for AFG and $337.5 million for SAFER. The
Administration’s FY2013 budget proposed $670 million for firefighter assistance, including $335
million for AFG and $335 million for SAFER. The Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013
(P.L. 112-175), funds firefighter assistance programs through the first six months of FY2013 at an
increase of 0.612% of the FY2012 level. Therefore, under the FY2013 continuing resolution,
AFG is funded at $339.5 million and SAFER is funded at $339.5 million through March 27,
2013.
The 113th Congress will likely consider FY2013 and FY2014 budget appropriations for AFG and
SAFER. As is the case with many federal programs, concerns over the federal budget deficit
could impact budget levels for AFG and SAFER. At the same time, firefighter assistance budgets
will likely receive heightened scrutiny from the fire community, given the local budgetary
cutbacks that many fire departments are facing.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Contents
Background ...................................................................................................................................... 1
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program ........................................................................................ 1
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012 ................................................................................... 1
Appropriations ........................................................................................................................... 4
FY2011 ................................................................................................................................ 5
FY2012 ................................................................................................................................ 6
FY2013 ................................................................................................................................ 7
Sequestration ....................................................................................................................... 8
Fire Station Construction Grants in the ARRA................................................................................ 8
SAFER Grants ................................................................................................................................. 9
Program Evaluation ......................................................................................................................... 9
Reports Mandated by Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012 ............................................. 10
Distribution of Fire Grants............................................................................................................. 11
Issues in the 113th Congress ........................................................................................................... 1213
Tables
Table 1. Key Provisions of Fire Grant Reauthorization ................................................................... 2
Table 2. Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance, FY2001-FY2013............................................. 4
Table 3. Recent and Proposed Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance ....................................... 5
Table 4. State-by-State Distribution of AFG Grants, FY2001-FY2011 ......................................... 13
Table 5. State-by-State Distribution of SAFER Grants, FY2005-FY2010 .................................... 15
Table 6. Requests and Awards for AFG Funding, FY2010 ............................................................ 17
Contacts
Author Contact Information........................................................................................................... 18
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Background
Firefighting activities are traditionally the responsibility of states and local communities. As such,
funding for firefighters is provided mostly by state and local governments. During the 1990s,
shortfalls in state and local budgets, coupled with increased responsibilities of local fire
departments, led many in the fire community to call for additional financial support from the
federal government. Although federally funded training programs existed (and continue to exist)
through the National Fire Academy, and although federal money was available to first responders
for counterterrorism training and equipment through the Department of Justice, there did not exist
a dedicated program, exclusively for firefighters, which provided federal money directly to local
fire departments to help address a wide variety of equipment, training, and other firefighterrelated needs.
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
During the 106th Congress, many in the fire community asserted that local fire departments
require and deserve greater support from the federal government. The Assistance to Firefighters
Grant Program (AFG), also known as fire grants or the FIRE Act grant program, was established
by Title XVII of the FY2001 Floyd D. Spence National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 106398).1 Currently administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the program provides federal grants directly to local
fire departments and unaffiliated Emergency Medical Services (EMS) organizations to help
address a variety of equipment, training, and other firefighter-related and EMS needs.
Since its establishment, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program has been reauthorized twice.
The first reauthorization was Title XXXVI of the FY2005 Ronald W. Reagan National Defense
Authorization Act (P.L. 108-375), which authorized the program through FY2009. The second
and current reauthorization is Title XVIII, Subtitle A of the FY2013 National Defense
Authorization Act (P.L. 112-239), which authorizes the program through FY2017 and modifies
program rules for disbursing grant money.
Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012
On January 2, 2013, the President signed P.L. 112-239, the FY2013 National Defense
Authorization Act. Title XVIII, Subtitle A is the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012, which
authorizes the fire grant program through FY2017. Table 1 provides a summary of key provisions
of the 2012 reauthorization, and provides a comparison with the previous statute.
1
“Firefighter assistance” is codified as §33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2229).
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Table 1. Key Provisions of Fire Grant Reauthorization
Previous Statute (15 U.S.C. 2229 and 15 U.S.C.
2229a)
Fire Grant Reauthorization Act of 2012 (Title
XVIII of P.L. 112-239 )
Grant money allocation
volunteer and combination fire departments shall receive
a proportion of the total grant funding that is not less
than the proportion of the U.S. population that those
departments protect
not less than 25% to career fire departments
not less than 25% to volunteer fire departments
not less than 25% to combination and paid-on-call fire
departments
not less than 10% for open competition among career,
volunteer, combination, and paid-on-call fire departments
5% (minimum) to fire prevention and safety grants
not less than 10% to fire prevention and safety grants
no fire prevention and safety grant may exceed $1.5
million
includes establishment of fire-safety research centers to
conduct research to improve firefighter health and safety
no fire prevention and safety grant may be provided to
the Association of Community Organizations for Reform
Now (ACORN)
3.5% (minimum) to EMS provided by fire departments
and nonaffiliated EMS organizations
not less than 3.5% to EMS provided by fire departments
and nonaffiliated EMS organizations
2% (maximum) to nonaffiliated EMS organizations
not more than 2% to nonaffiliated EMS organizations
not more than 3% to State training academies, no more
than $1 million per state academy in any fiscal year
not more than 25% for purchasing vehicles
Grant recipient limits
populations over 1 million—lesser of $2.75 million or
0.5% of total appropriation
populations of 500K to 1 million—$1.75 million
populations under 500K—$1 million
$9 million—over 2.5m population
$6 million—1m to 2.5m population
$3 million—500K to 1m population
$2 million—100 to 500K population
no single grant can exceed 0.5% of total funds
appropriated for a single fiscal year
$1 million—under 100K population
DHS can waive the funding limits for populations up to 1
million in instances of extraordinary need; however the
lesser of $2.75 million or 0.5% limit cannot be waived
FEMA may not award a grant exceeding 1% of all
available grant funds, unless FEMA determines
extraordinary need
Nonfederal match requirements
20% for populations over 50,000
15% for populations over 1 million
10% for populations 20,000 to 50,000
10% for populations 20,000 to 1 million
5% for populations less than 20,000
5% for populations under 20,000
No match requirement for non-fire department
prevention and firefighter safety grants
5% match required for fire prevention and safety grants
Maintenance of expenditures
requires applicants to maintain expenditures at the same
level as the average over the preceding two fiscal years
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requires applicants to maintain expenditures at or above
80% of the average over the preceding two fiscal years
2
Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Previous Statute (15 U.S.C. 2229 and 15 U.S.C.
2229a)
Fire Grant Reauthorization Act of 2012 (Title
XVIII of P.L. 112-239 )
Economic hardship waivers
no economic hardship waivers available
waivers available for nonfederal matching and
maintenance of expenditures requirements, FEMA will
develop economic hardship waiver guidelines considering
unemployment rates, percentages of individuals eligible to
receive food stamps, and other factors as appropriate.
Authorization levels
FY2005—$900 million
FY2013—$750 million
FY2006—$950 million
for each of FY2014-FY2017, an amount equal to the
amount authorized the previous fiscal year, increased by
the percentage by which the Consumer Price Index for
the previous fiscal year exceeds the preceding year.
FY2007—$1 billion
FY2008—$1 billion
FY2009—$1 billion
Congressionally Directed Spending
no funds may be used for any congressionally directed
spending item (as defined under the rules of the Senate
and the House of Representatives)
no provision
Sunset
the authority to award assistance and grants shall expire
five years after the date of enactment
none
SAFER grants
grant period is 4 years, grantees are required to retain
for at least 1 year beyond the termination of their grants
those firefighter positions hired under the grant
shortens the grant period to three years, with no
requirement that fire departments must retain SAFER
funded firefighters for an extra year
year 1—10% local match
year 2—20% local match
year 3—50% local match
year 4—70% local match
year 1—25% local match
year 2—25% local match
year 3—65% local match
total funding over 4 years for hiring a firefighter may not
exceed $100K, adjusted annually for inflation
for the first year, the amount of funding provided for
hiring a firefighter may not exceed 75% of the usual
annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department
at the time the grant application was submitted
for the second year, the amount of funding provided for
hiring a firefighter may not exceed 75% of the usual
annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department
at the time the grant application was submitted
for the third year, the amount of funding provided for
hiring a firefighter may not exceed 35% of the usual
annual cost of a first-year firefighter in that department
at the time the grant application was submitted
state, local, and Indian tribal governments eligible for
recruitment and retention funds
additionally makes national organizations eligible for
recruitment and retention funds
allows FEMA, in the case of economic hardship, to waive
cost share requirements, as well as the prohibition on
supplanting local funds and maintenance of expenditure
requirements (which would allow grants to be used for
retention and rehiring laid-off firefighters)
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Previous Statute (15 U.S.C. 2229 and 15 U.S.C.
2229a)
Fire Grant Reauthorization Act of 2012 (Title
XVIII of P.L. 112-239 )
authorized for 7 years starting at $1 billion in FY2004,
ending at $1.194 billion in FY2010
reauthorizes the SAFER grant program at $750 million
for FY2013; for each of FY2014-FY2017, an amount
equal to the amount authorized the previous fiscal year,
increased by the percentage by which the Consumer
Price Index for the previous fiscal year exceeds the
preceding year
no funds may be used for any congressionally directed
spending item (as defined under the rules of the Senate
and the House of Representatives)
authority to make grants shall lapse 10 years from
November 24, 2003
the authority to award assistance and grants shall expire
five years after the date of enactment
Source: Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012, Title VIII, Subtitle A of FY2013 National Defense
Authorization Act, P.L. 112-239.
Appropriations
From FY2001 through FY2003, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program (as part of
USFA/FEMA) received its primary appropriation through the VA-HUD-Independent Agencies
Appropriation Act. In FY2004, the Assistance to Firefighters Program began to receive its annual
appropriation through the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Homeland
Security. Within the DHS/FEMA budget, the firefighter assistance account (which includes both
AFG and SAFER) is located within State and Local Programs (SLP) as part of the First
Responder Assistance Programs (FRAP).
The fire grant program is in its 13th year. Table 2 shows the appropriations history for firefighter
assistance, including AFG, SAFER, and the Fire Station Construction Grants (SCG) provided in
the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Table 3 shows recent and proposed
appropriated funding for the AFG and SAFER grant programs.
Table 2. Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance, FY2001-FY2013
AFG
SAFER
SCGa
Total
FY2001
$100 million
$100 million
FY2002
$360 million
$360 million
FY2003
$745 million
$745 million
FY2004
$746 million
$746 million
FY2005
$650 million
$65 million
$715 million
FY2006
$539 million
$109 million
$648 million
FY2007
$547 million
$115 million
$662 million
FY2008
$560 million
$190 million
$750 million
FY2009
$565 million
$210 million
FY2010
$390 million
$420 million
$810 million
FY2011
$405 million
$405 million
$810 million
FY2012
$337.5 million
$337.5 million
$675 million
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$210 million
$985 million
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
AFG
SAFER
SCGa
FY2013b
$339.5 million
$339.5 million
Total
$6.283 billion
$2.190 billion
Total
$679 million
$210 million
$8.684 billion
a.
Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grants (SCG) grants were funded by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5).
b.
Through March 2013 (P.L. 112-175, Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013).
Table 3. Recent and Proposed Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance
(millions of dollars)
FY2013
(H.R.
5855)
FY2013
(S. 3216)
FY2013
(P.L.
112175)a
335
337.5
337.5
339.5
337.5
335
337.5
337.5
339.5
675
670
675
675
679
FY2011
(Admin.
request)
FY2011
(P.L.
112-10)
FY2012
(Admin.
request)
FY2012
(P.L.
112-74)
FY2013
(Admin.
request)
FIRE
Grants
(AFG)
305
405
250
337.5
SAFER
Grants
305
405
420
Total
610
810
670
a.
The Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 funds AFG and SAFER through March 2013.
FY2011
The Administration’s FY2011 budget proposed $305 million for AFG (a 22% decrease from the
FY2010 level) and $305 million for SAFER (a 27% decrease). The total amount requested for
firefighter assistance (AFG and SAFER) was $610 million, a 25% decrease from FY2010. The
FY2011 budget proposal stated that the firefighter assistance grant process “will give priority to
applications that enhance capabilities for terrorism response and other major incidents.”2
On June 24, 2010, the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security Appropriations approved
$840 million for firefighter assistance, including $420 million for AFG and $420 million for
SAFER.
On July 19, 2010, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $810 million for firefighter
assistance (including $390 million for AFG and $420 million for SAFER), the same level as
FY2010 and 33% more than the Administration proposal. In the bill report (S.Rept. 111-222), the
committee directed DHS to continue funding applications according to local priorities and
priorities established by the United States Fire Administration, and to continue direct funding to
fire departments and the peer review process. The committee also directed FEMA to submit the
U.S. Fire Service Needs Assessment, and to brief the committee regarding the implementation of
2
Office of Management and Budget, Appendix: Budget of the United States Government, FY2011, p. 557.
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the recommendations of the recent GAO report (GAO-10-64) on additional actions which would
improve the grants process.
H.R. 1, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, as introduced on February 11, 2011,
would have provided $300 million to AFG and zero funding for SAFER. However, on February
16, 2011, H.Amdt. 38 (offered by Representative Pascrell and agreed to by the House by a vote of
318-113) restored AFG to $390 million and SAFER to $420 million (the FY2010 levels). H.R. 1
was passed by the House on February 18, 2011. S.Amdt. 149 to H.R. 1—which was rejected by
the full Senate on March 9, 2011—would have funded AFG at $405 million and SAFER at $405
million.
Subsequently, the full-year continuing appropriation bill for FY2011, which was signed into law
on April 15, 2011 (Department of Defense and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, P.L. 11210), funded AFG at $405 million and SAFER at $405 million for FY2011. P.L. 112-10 also
contained language that removes FY2011 SAFER cost-share requirements and allows SAFER
grants to be used to rehire laid-off firefighters and fill positions eliminated through attrition.
However, P.L. 112-10 did not remove the requirement that SAFER grants fund a firefighter
position for four years, with the fifth year funded wholly by the grant recipient. The law also did
not waive the cap of $100K per firefighter hired by a SAFER grant.
FY2012
The Administration’s FY2012 budget proposed $670 million for firefighter assistance, including
$250 million for AFG and $420 million for SAFER. According to the budget proposal, the
request would fund 2,200 firefighter positions and approximately 5,000 AFG grants. The FY2012
budget proposal stated that the firefighter assistance grant process “will give priority to
applications that enhance capabilities for terrorism response and other major incidents.”3
The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations, 2012, bill (H.R. 2017) was reported by
the House Appropriations Committee on May 26, 2011. The House Committee bill would have
provided $350 million for firefighter assistance, including $200 million for AFG and $150 million
for SAFER. The House Appropriations bill report (H.Rept. 112-91) directed FEMA to continue
granting funds directly to local fire departments and to include the United States Fire
Administration during the grant decision process. FEMA was also directed to maintain an allhazards focus and was prohibited from limiting beyond current law the list of eligible activities,
including those related to wellness.
During the House floor consideration of H.R. 2017, two firefighter assistance amendments were
adopted. The first amendment (offered by Mr. LaTourette and Mr. Pascrell, and agreed to by a
recorded vote of 333-87) raised FY2012 funding levels to $335 million for AFG and $335 million
for SAFER. The total level for firefighter assistance ($670 million) is equal to the level requested
by the Administration.
The second amendment (offered by Mr. Price of North Carolina and agreed to by a recorded vote
of 264-157) prohibited enforcement of various SAFER requirements for grantees. These waivers
would allow FY2012 SAFER grants to be used to rehire laid-off firefighters and fill positions
eliminated through attrition, remove cost-share requirements, allow grants to extend longer than
3
Office of Management and Budget, Appendix: Budget of the United States Government, FY2012, p. 538.
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the current five year duration, and permit the amount of funding per position at levels exceeding
the current limit of $100,000.
The Department of Homeland Security Appropriations, 2012, bill (H.R. 2017) was passed by the
House on June 2, 2011.
On September 7, 2011, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $750 million for
firefighter assistance in FY2012 (S.Rept. 112-74), which is a 12% increase over the House-passed
level. The total included $375 million for AFG and $375 million for SAFER. As does the House
bill, the Senate bill also waived or prohibited SAFER requirements in FY2012.
P.L. 112-74, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, FY2012, provided $675 million for firefighter
assistance, including $337.5 million for AFG and $337.5 million for SAFER. The conference
report directed FEMA to continue funding applications according to local priorities and those
established by the USFA, to maintain an all hazards focus, and to continue the current grant
application and review process as specified in the House report.
FY2013
The Administration’s FY2013 budget proposed $670 million for firefighter assistance, including
$335 million for AFG and $335 million for SAFER. This is a decrease of $5 million from the
FY2012 level. The Firefighter Assistance Grants would be categorized under First Responder
Assistance Programs (FRAP), one of three activities under FEMA’s State and Local Programs
(SLP) appropriation.
Historically, DHS has requested that a percentage of AFG funding (up to 5%) be set aside for
management and administration of the grant program. Starting in FY2013, grant administration
(for AFG and SAFER) would be shifted to the SLP Management and Administration office.
According to DHS, this will make an additional $28.8 million of the Firefighter Assistance
appropriation available for grants.
On May 16, 2012, The House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2013
Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 5855). While the committee mark is
identical to the Administration requested level—$335 million for AFG and $335 million for
SAFER—the committee denied the Administration’s request to shift AFG and SAFER into the
State and Local Programs account. Unlike the Administration request, H.R. 5855 would designate
up to 4.7% of the amount appropriated to firefighter assistance for program administration. The
committee report (H.Rept. 112-492) directed FEMA to continue granting funds directly to local
fire departments and to include the United States Fire Administration during the grant decision
process. FEMA was also directed to maintain an all-hazards focus and was prohibited from
limiting beyond current law the list of eligible activities, including those related to wellness. The
committee continued the requirement for peer review and directed FEMA to provide official
notifications to rejected applicants who do not meet the criteria for peer review.
During floor action on June 6, 2012, an amendment was offered by Representative Runyan to
increase funding for AFG and SAFER by $2.5 million each, taking its $5 million offset from the
Office of the Undersecretary for Management. The amendment passed by voice vote, bringing the
firefighter assistance account to $675 million ($337.5 million AFG, $337.5 million SAFER),
which is identical to the FY2012 level. H.R. 5855 was passed by the House on June 7, 2012.
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On May 22, 2012, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved $675 million for firefighter
assistance for FY2013 (S. 3216). This level includes $337.5 million for AFG and $337.5 million
for SAFER. The Senate level is identical to the FY2012 level. Like the House, the committee
denied the Administration’s request to shift AFG and SAFER into the State and Local Programs
account. However, the committee has included program and administration costs separately under
the FEMA “Salaries and Expenses” account. The committee report (S.Rept. 112-169) noted that
under this scenario, the entire appropriation of $675 million would be used for grants, while
administrative costs ($33.75 million) would be funded by the Salaries and Expenses account. The
committee report also directed DHS to continue the practice of funding applications according to
local priorities and those established by the USFA, and to continue direct funding to fire
departments and the peer review process.
The Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2013 (P.L. 112-175) funds firefighter assistance
programs through the first six months of FY2013 at an increase of 0.612% of the FY2012 level.
Therefore, under the FY2013 continuing resolution, AFG is funded at $339.5 million and SAFER
is funded at $339.5 million. Meanwhile, the potential sequestration across the federal
government, if implemented, would subject the DHS State and Local Programs account (which
includes AFG and SAFER) to an 8.2% budget reduction on January 2, 2013 through March 27, 2013.
Sequestration
Pursuant to the Sequestration Transparency Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-155), the Office of
Management and Budget, on September 14, 2012, released a report identifying program accounts
which are subject to sequestration. Among the nondefense discretionary accounts listed is the
DHS State and Local Programs account, which encompasses AFG and SAFER. Under
sequestration, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated a 5.3% automatic reduction for
FY2013 nondefense discretionary spending. This 5.3% cut would be applied to the DHS State
and Local Programs account. There are no estimates available of how the 5.3% cut would be
applied specifically at the AFG and SAFER level.
Fire Station Construction Grants in the ARRA
Since its inception, the traditional fire grant program has provided money specifically for health
and safety related modifications of fire stations, but has not funded major upgrades, renovations,
or construction. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 (P.L. 111-5)
provided an additional $210 million in firefighter assistance grants for modifying, upgrading, or
constructing state and local non-federal fire stations, provided that 5% be set aside for program
administration, and provided that no grant shall exceed $15 million. The conference report
(H.Rept. 111-16) cited DHS estimates that this spending would create 2,000 jobs. The ARRA also
included a provision (§603) that waived the matching requirement for SAFER grants funded by
appropriations in FY2009 and FY2010.
The application period for ARRA Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grants
(SCG) opened on June 11 and closed on July 10, 2009. There is no cost share requirement for
SCG grants. Eligible applicants are non-federal fire departments that provide fire protection
services to local communities. Ineligible applicants include federal fire departments, EMS or
rescue organizations, airport fire departments, for-profit fire departments, fire training centers,
emergency communications centers, auxiliaries and fire service organizations or associations, and
search and rescue teams or similar organizations without fire suppression responsibilities.
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DHS/FEMA received 6,025 SCG applications for $9.9 billion in federal funds.4 As of October 1,
2010, 119 SCG grants were awarded, totaling $207.461 million to fire departments within the
United States. A complete list of SCG awards is available at http://www.fema.gov/rules-tools/
assistance-firefighters-station-construction-grants.
4
Detailed SCG application statistics are available at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2009AFSCGAppStats.pdf.
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On February 15, 2011, the Firefighting Investment, Renewal, and Employment Act or FIRE Act
(H.R. 716) was introduced to authorize $210 million for each of fiscal years 2012 through 2016
for competitive grants for modifying, upgrading, or constructing nonfederal fire stations.
SAFER Grants
In response to concerns over the adequacy of firefighter staffing, the 108th Congress enacted the
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Act as Section 1057 of the
FY2004 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 108-136; signed into law November 24, 2003).
The SAFER grant program is codified as Section 34 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control
Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. 2229a). The SAFER Act authorizes grants to career, volunteer, and
combination fire departments for the purpose of increasing the number of firefighters to help
communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate
protection from fire and fire-related hazards. Also authorized are grants to volunteer fire
departments for activities related to the recruitment and retention of volunteers. For more
information on the SAFER program, see CRS Report RL33375, Staffing for Adequate Fire and
Emergency Response: The SAFER Grant Program, by Lennard G. Kruger.
Program Evaluation
On May 13, 2003, the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) released the first independent evaluation
of the Assistance to Firefighters Program. Conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s
Leadership Development Academy Executive Potential Program, the survey study presented a
number of recommendations and concluded overall that the program was “highly effective in
improving the readiness and capabilities of firefighters across the nation.”5 Another evaluation of
the fire grant program was released by the DHS Office of Inspector General in September 2003.
The report concluded that the program “succeeded in achieving a balanced distribution of funding
through a competitive grant process,”6 and made a number of specific recommendations for
improving the program.
At the request of DHS, the National Academy of Public Administration conducted a study to help
identify potential new strategic directions for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and to
provide advice on how to effectively plan, manage, and measure program accomplishments.
Released in April 2007, the report recommended consideration of new strategic directions related
to national preparedness, prevention vs. response, social equity, regional cooperation, and
emergency medical response. According to the report, the “challenge for the AFG program will
be to support a gradual shift in direction without losing major strengths of its current management
approach—including industry driven priority setting and its well-respected peer review process.”7
5
4
Detailed SCG application statistics are available at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2009AFSCGAppStats.pdf.
For full report see http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/affgp-fy01-usda-report.pdf.
6
Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspections, Evaluations, and Special Reviews, “A Review of the
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program,” OIG-ISP-01-03, September 2003, p. 3. Available at http://www.dhs.gov/
xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_Review_Fire_Assist.pdf.
7
National Academy of Public Administration, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program: Assessing Performance,
April 2007, p. xvii. Available at http://www.napawash.org/pc_management_studies/
Fire_Grants_Report_April2007.pdf.
6
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be to support a gradual shift in direction without losing major strengths of its current management
approach—including industry driven priority setting and its well-respected peer review process.”7
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008 (P.L. 110-161), in the accompanying Joint
Explanatory Statement, directed the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review the
application and award process for fire and SAFER grants. Additionally, FEMA was directed to
peer review grant applications that best address the program’s priorities and criteria as established
by FEMA and the fire service. Those criteria necessary for peer-review must be included in the
grant application package. Applicants whose grant applications are not reviewed must receive an
official notification detailing why the application did not meet the criteria for review.
Applications must be rank-ordered, and funded following the rank order.
In October 2009, GAO sent a report to Congress finding that FEMA has met most statutory
requirements for awarding fire grants.8 GAO recommended that FEMA establish a procedure to
track EMS awards, ensure that grant priorities are better aligned with application questions and
scoring values, and provide specific feedback to rejected applicants.
In June 2011, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) released its Third Needs
Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, which seeks to identify gaps and needs in the fire service,
and measures the impact that fire grants have had on filling those gaps and needs. According to
the study:
Needs have declined to a considerable degree in a number of areas, particularly personal
protective and firefighting equipment, two types of resource that received the largest shares
of funding from the Assistance to Firefighters grants (AFG). Declines in needs have been
more modest in some other important areas, such as training, which have received much
smaller shares of AFG grant funds.9
Reports Mandated by Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2012
P.L. 112-239 mandates reports and studies on the AFG and SAFER programs, as well as on the
state of the fire service.
•
FEMA is directed to develop a performance assessment system to evaluate AFG
and SAFER grants. FEMA shall submit annual reports to Congress providing
information on its performance assessment system, an evaluation of AFG and
SAFER grant effectiveness, and recommendations for legislative changes to
improve grant effectiveness.
•
The Comptroller General is directed to submit a report to Congress assessing the
effect of the amendments to the AFG and SAFER statute made by the Fire Grants
Reauthorization of 2012.
•
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is directed to conduct a study on
the level of compliance with national voluntary consensus standards for staffing,
training, safe operations, personal protective equipment, and fitness among the
fire services of the United States.
7
National Academy of Public Administration, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program: Assessing Performance,
April 2007, p. xvii. Available at http://www.napawash.org/pc_management_studies/
Fire_Grants_Report_April2007.pdf.
8
U.S. Government Accountability Office, Fire Grants: FEMA Has Met Most Requirements for Awarding Fire Grants,
but Additional Actions Would Improve Its Grant Process, GAO-10-64, October 2009, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/
d1064.pdf.
9
National Fire Protection Association, Third Needs Assessment of the U.S. Fire Service, June 2011, abstract. Available
at http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files//2011NeedsAssessment.pdf.
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•
The Comptroller General is directed to submit a report to Congress assessing the
effect of the amendments to the AFG and SAFER statute made by the Fire Grants
Reauthorization of 2012.
•
The United States Fire Administration (USFA) is directed to conduct a study on
the level of compliance with national voluntary consensus standards for staffing,
training, safe operations, personal protective equipment, and fitness among the
fire services of the United States.
•
The Secretary of Homeland Security is directed to establish a Task Force to
Enhance Firefighter Safety, which will review the USFA study on fire service
standards and develop a plan to enhance firefighter safety by increasing fire
service standards compliance. The Task Force will report its findings to Congress
and DHS.
•
USFA is directed to conduct a study and report on the needs of the fire service.
Distribution of Fire Grants
The AFG statute prescribes different purposes for which fire grant money may be used. These are
training firefighting personnel; creating rapid intervention teams; certifying fire inspectors and
building inspectors whose responsibilities include fire safety inspections and who are associated
with a fire department; establishing wellness and fitness programs, including mental health
programs; funding emergency medical services (EMS) provided by fire departments and
nonaffiliated EMS organizations; acquiring firefighting vehicles; acquiring firefighting
equipment; acquiring personal protective equipment; modifying fire stations, fire training
facilities, and other facilities for health and safety; educating the public about arson prevention
and detection; providing incentives for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters; and
supporting other activities as FEMA determines appropriate. FEMA has the discretion to decide
which of those purposes will be funded for a given grant year. Since the program commenced in
FY2001, the majority of fire grant funding has been used by fire departments to purchase
firefighting equipment, personal protective equipment, and firefighting vehicles.
Eligible applicants are limited primarily to fire departments (defined as an agency or organization
that has a formally recognized arrangement with a state, local, or tribal authority to provide fire
suppression, fire prevention, and rescue services to a population within a fixed geographical
area). Emergency Medical Services (EMS) activities are eligible for fire grants, including a
limited number to EMS organizations not affiliated with hospitals.
Additionally, a separate competition is held for fire prevention and firefighter safety research and
development grants, which are available to fire departments; national, state, local, tribal, or
nonprofit organizations recognized for their fire safety or prevention expertise; and to institutions
of higher education, national fire service organizations, or national fire safety organizations to
establish and operate fire safety research centers. For official program and application guidelines,
frequently-asked-questions, the latest awards announcements, and other information, see the
Assistance to Firefighters Grant program web page at http://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistancefirefighters-grant-program.
The FIRE Act statute provides overall guidelines on how fire grant money will be distributed.
Previously, the law directed that volunteer and combination departments receive a proportion of
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the total grant funding that is not less than the proportion of the U.S. population that those
departments protect (34% for combination, 21% for all-volunteer). Reflecting concerns that
career fire departments (which are primarily in urban and suburban areas) were not receiving
adequate levels of funding, the Fire Grants Authorization Act of 2012 alters the distribution
formula, directing that not less than 25% of annual AFG funding go to career fire departments,
not less than 25% to volunteer fire departments, not less than 25% to combination and paid-oncall fire departments, and not less than 10% for open competition among career, volunteer,
combination, and paid-on-call fire departments. Additionally, P.L. 112-239 raises award caps (up
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
to $9 million) and lowers matching requirements for fire departments serving higher population
areas.
There is no set geographical formula for the distribution of fire grants—fire departments
throughout the nation apply, and award decisions are made by a peer panel based on the merits of
the application and the needs of the community. However, the law does require that fire grants
should be distributed to a diverse mix of fire departments, with respect to type of department
(paid, volunteer, or combination), geographic location, and type of community served (e.g.,
urban, suburban, or rural).10 The Fire Act’s implementing regulation provides that
In a few cases, to fulfill our obligations under the law to make grants to a variety of
departments, we may also make funding decisions using rank order as the preliminary basis,
and then analyze the type of fire department (paid, volunteer, or combination fire
departments), the size and character of the community it serves (urban, suburban, or rural),
and/or the geographic location of the fire department. In these instances where we are
making decisions based on geographic location, we will use States as the basic geographic
unit.11
Additionally, each fire department that applies is classified as either urban, suburban, or rural. In
FY2010, 75.1% of applications were received from rural fire departments, 17.7% from suburban,
and 7.2% from urban. This translated into rural departments requesting 66.7% of federal funds,
suburban departments requesting 21.5%, and urban departments requesting 11.8%.12
Finally, in an effort to maximize the diversity of awardees, the geographic location of an applicant
(using states as the basic geographic unit) is used as a deciding factor in cases where applicants
have similar qualifications. Table 4 shows a state-by-state breakdown of fire grant funding for
FY2001 through FY2011, while Table 5 shows a state-by-state breakdown of SAFER grant
funding for FY2005 through FY2010. Table 6 provides an in-depth look at the FY2010 fire
grants, showing, for each state, the number of fire grant applications, the total amount requested,
the total amount awarded, and the amount of funds awarded as a percentage of funds requested.
As Table 6 shows, the entire pool of fire department applicants received about 13% of the funds
they requested in FY2010. This compares to 16% in FY2009, 15% in FY2008, 16% in FY2007,
21% in FY2006, 22% in FY2005, 28% in FY2004, and 34% in FY2003. The downward trend
reflects the fact that the number of applications and the amount of federal funds requested have
trended upward over the years, while appropriations for the fire grant program have typically
declined over the same period.
10
15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(9).
44 CFR Part 152.6(c).
12
Ibid.
11
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Issues in the 113th Congress
The 113th Congress will likely consider FY2013 and FY2014 budget appropriations for AFG and
SAFER. As is the case with many federal programs, concerns over the federal budget deficit
could impact budget levels for AFG and SAFER. At the same time, firefighter assistance budgets
will likely receive heightened scrutiny from the fire community, given the local budgetary
cutbacks that many fire departments are now facing.
10
15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(9).
44 CFR Part 152.6(c).
12
Ibid.
11
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The 113th Congress will also likely examine the impact of new grant distribution guidelines
mandated by P.L. 112-239, the Fire Grant Authorization Act of 2012. The continuing issue is how
effectively grants are being distributed and used to protect the health and safety of the public and
firefighting personnel against fire and fire-related hazards.
Table 4. State-by-State Distribution of AFG Grants, FY2001-FY2011
(millions of dollars)
FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
Total
AL
3.085
12.503
23.329
25.097
20.836
22.027
19.903
23.332
19.966
14.591
18.591
203.26
AK
1.303
2.641
5.242
2.522
3.111
0.754
2.454
0.990
0.935
0.568
0.568
21.088
AZ
1.37
3.6
7.490
9.808
7.905
4.041
4.932
5.440
4.716
2.873
4.952
57.127
AR
1.337
4.635
10.675
13.680
10.402
7.699
7.799
7.107
8.174
5.111
4.253
80.872
CA
5.905
18.978
30.060
29.793
25.631
17.856
18.730
26.198
23.644
21.764
35.334
253.893
CO
1.003
3.968
6.168
5.585
6.073
3.213
4.742
2.490
6.11
3.369
5.213
47.934
CT
1.828
4.675
10.841
9.991
7.287
5.479
6.630
6.925
5.231
3.166
3.67
65.723
DE
0.132
0.372
1.096
1.755
1.161
1.107
0.518
0.231
1.251
0.282
0.366
8.271
DC
0
0.22
0
0
0.453
0
0.376
1.171
0
0.368
1.38
3.968
FL
2.865
10.16
16.344
15.969
17.922
6.787
8.288
6. 738
12.581
12.557
16.2
126.411
GA
2.375
6.079
13.791
11.857
10.168
8.887
9.068
7.959
8.981
6.192
5.174
90.531
HI
0
1.182
0.947
0.864
1.205
0.264
0.436
0.772
0.609
0.261
1.534
8.074
ID
0.916
2.744
6.001
4.828
4.684
2.712
4.297
2.687
2.883
2.361
0.439
34.552
IL
2.417
13.398
28.810
27.238
25.433
21.120
21.923
21.325
25.24
14.809
12.753
214.466
IN
2.703
8.739
20.456
18.646
15.779
14.447
13.831
13.092
15.179
10.759
7.728
141.359
IA
1.301
7.284
16.087
16.430
13.119
10.064
9.298
9.877
9.695
5.818
6.629
105.602
KS
1.153
5.118
10.850
10.211
7.165
4.984
5.502
3.928
6.682
3.055
3.072
61.72
KY
2.215
7.896
19.832
16.150
14.215
13.308
13.081
17.153
13.108
8.081
5.426
130.465
LA
3.344
10.084
12.248
11.101
11.630
6.935
5.473
7.033
8.073
4.414
6.337
86.672
ME
1.296
4.319
10.323
10.031
6.124
6.702
5.486
4.904
3.462
1.348
2.118
56.113
MD
0.739
4.08
8.153
10.227
8.771
10.368
7.712
5.525
5.221
4.545
4.524
69.865
MA
2.301
8.386
15.715
13.958
13.529
8.957
11.644
9.532
11.957
8.083
10.679
114.741
MI
2.815
8.948
17.247
20.005
15.088
15.798
15.399
15.482
18.045
9.502
16.904
155.233
MN
2.133
8.149
17.510
18.609
14.894
14.718
16.600
13.082
17.253
18.923
10.638
152.509
MS
1.763
6.755
15.679
11.329
9.856
7.885
8.052
7.761
8.436
5.66
3.694
86.87
MO
3.079
10.291
19.573
17.757
14.246
13.202
10.611
11.589
12.973
9.21
7.594
130.125
MT
1.164
3.726
8.361
7.271
6.656
5.839
7.330
4.670
5.179
3.204
0.725
54.125
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FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
Total
NE
1.034
2.392
7.820
6.577
5.116
4.399
4.443
4.324
4.341
0.441
1.378
42.265
NV
0.282
1.446
3.312
1.405
1.946
0.857
1.530
0.687
0.855
1.437
0.564
14.321
NH
0.594
1.887
4.584
5.694
4.563
3.307
3.219
2.723
2.834
1.496
1.69
32.591
NJ
2.596
6.339
19.982
16.488
14.691
12.386
13.266
13.201
15.502
9.687
10.402
134.54
NM
1.455
3.463
5.048
3.653
2.259
1.461
1.367
1.101
1.605
1.632
2.122
25.166
NY
3.978
14.728
34.320
35.030
36.009
33.804
22.664
30.204
23.235
13.367
10.253
257.592
NC
1.949
10.239
22.864
22.360
19.315
18.309
20.031
18.460
20.881
13.137
13.864
181.409
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FY01
FY02
FY03
FY04
FY05
FY06
FY07
FY08
FY09
FY10
FY11
Total
ND
0.546
2.613
5.105
3.391
2.673
2.459
3.100
3.297
2.527
1.594
0.71
28.015
OH
2.731
13.742
26.997
29.107
27.344
25.380
26.433
26.938
33.164
20.168
23.281
255.285
OK
1.864
4.939
10.540
10.393
8.757
10.852
7.220
6.875
7.239
3.527
3.187
75.393
OR
1.596
4.892
9.896
10.122
10.014
9.288
5.943
8.438
5.986
6.332
5.59
78.097
PA
2.89
16.97
45.179
47.898
39.233
41.259
43.610
41.041
37.231
19.623
26.227
361.161
RI
0.407
1.507
2.327
1.917
2.129
2.025
0.855
1.395
2.46
1.533
2.314
18.869
SC
1.554
5.257
11.832
14.150
10.544
8.028
10.470
11.040
11.227
8.684
4.948
97.734
SD
0.904
3.142
5.602
4.693
3.570
2.989
2.474
2.069
2.527
0.753
1.135
29.858
TN
2.46
11.509
19.306
18.686
15.047
11.209
12.955
16.074
13.311
11.259
6.268
138.084
TX
3.697
15.644
29.264
30.118
23.480
18.035
17.691
20.458
19.469
9.941
11.031
198.828
UT
0.9
2.754
4.628
3.880
2.188
2.213
3.378
0.934
2.295
2.985
0.883
27.038
VT
0.451
1.971
5.163
4.747
2.071
1.456
1.820
1.046
1.974
0.689
0.498
21.886
VA
2.066
8.79
15.816
16.668
14.357
8.317
10.403
8.370
6.405
5.991
3.5
100.683
WA
1.535
7.544
18.808
19.565
15.763
16.150
12.951
13.050
10.064
7.961
7.341
130.732
WV
1.067
3.966
9.942
9.133
10.143
5.838
7.164
7.238
5.331
5.074
2.173
67.069
WI
2.077
7.518
18.234
19.668
17.685
13.994
19.439
15.216
15.17
9.569
8.635
147.205
WY
1.09
1.612
3.507
1.811
2.032
1.197
1.645
1.023
1.427
0.086
0.488
15.918
PR
0.657
0.382
1.643
1.140
1.104
0.528
0.019
0.074
1.154
0
0.876
7.577
MP
0.145
0.225
0
0
0.220
0.172
0
0
0
0
0
0
GU
0
0.016
0
0
0
0.287
0
0
0
0
0
0
AS
0.164
0
0
0.284
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
VI
0.741
0
0.544
0
0
0
0
0.233
0
0
0
0
91.97
334.41
695.09
679.29
585.59
491.35
494.20
492.50
503.79
337.84
345.85
5051.9
Source: Department of Homeland Security.
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Table 5. State-by-State Distribution of SAFER Grants,
FY2005-FY2010
(millions of dollars)
FY2005
FY2006
FY2007
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Total
Alabama
1.611
6.215
4.236
7.314
4.288
8.531
32.195
Alaska
1.051
0.205
0.418
1.438
0.328
6.072
9.512
Arizona
1.560
3.559
4.428
6.613
6.768
10.357
33.285
Arkansas
0.394
1.820
0.377
3.834
0.976
2.206
9.607
California
5.221
5.212
4.259
4.212
31.501
63.13
113.535
Colorado
1.584
3.479
1.730
2.02
0.955
3.384
13.152
Connecticut
0.130
0.191
0.856
3.92
2.214
1.312
8.623
Delaware
0
0.135
0
0.398
0
1.723
2.256
District of Columbia
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Florida
6.576
9.329
6.217
17.185
24.105
17.721
81.133
Georgia
5.354
2.085
2.842
17.438
4.844
10.384
42.947
0
0
0
1.626
0
0.1
1.726
Idaho
0.063
0.621
0.626
0.774
1.336
2.897
6.317
Illinois
1.340
4.463
9.933
5.85
2.496
10.848
34.93
0
0.099
2.687
4.577
8.295
9.931
25.589
Iowa
0.169
0.144
0.980
1.288
1.045
0.081
3.707
Kansas
0.667
0.045
1.029
1.872
2.806
2.285
8.704
Kentucky
0.152
2.890
0.429
2.466
0.338
0.893
7.168
Louisiana
3.430
3.078
4.728
8.62
10.515
0.182
30.553
Maine
0.081
0
0.316
0.951
0.739
1.047
3.134
Maryland
0.096
1.862
1.526
3.171
4.429
2.145
13.229
Massachusetts
1.300
2.079
4.372
2.690
18.385
34.422
63.248
Michigan
1.759
0.592
0
0.628
13.286
22.493
38.758
Minnesota
0.300
1.089
0.375
3.246
1.256
0.789
7.055
Mississippi
0.756
0.594
0.115
1.608
0
1.209
4.282
Missouri
1.467
3.547
4.551
2.381
1.474
5.618
19.038
Montana
0.034
0.255
2.635
2.955
0.458
0.973
7.31
0
0.873
0.632
1.951
0.802
0.493
4.751
Nevada
1.500
1.714
0.632
0.086
0.577
2.459
6.968
New Hampshire
0.400
1.035
1.528
0.225
0
0.353
3.541
New Jersey
6.374
3.971
2.953
4.389
0.556
56.648
74.891
0
3.123
1.309
0.108
0.499
1.854
6.893
New York
1.540
2.991
2.845
4.412
8.227
18.239
38.254
North Carolina
2.155
5.533
5.371
18.183
2.256
6.375
39.873
Hawaii
Indiana
Nebraska
New Mexico
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
FY2005
North Dakota
FY2006
FY2007
FY2008
FY2009
FY2010
Total
0
0.609
0
1.518
1.517
2.139
5.783
Ohio
1.319
1.881
2.255
3.737
29.606
21.04
59.838
Oklahoma
0.147
0.699
0.531
2.782
0
9.127
13.286
Oregon
1.710
2.141
2.649
2.071
0.677
6.166
15.414
Pennsylvania
1.244
1.475
2.633
3.515
1.176
7.926
17.969
Rhode Island
0.400
0
0.105
0
1.561
4.249
6.315
South Carolina
0.456
0.863
3.218
8.158
2.41
2.064
17.169
South Dakota
0.063
0.311
0.211
0.552
0
0.648
1.785
Tennessee
2.700
2.719
3.683
1.856
1.148
7.374
19.48
Texas
0.951
10.961
8.779
19.06
3.158
12.65
55.559
Utah
0.900
3.312
2.098
3.955
1.824
4.583
16.672
0
0.621
0.632
0
0.119
0
1.372
Virginia
2.091
3.554
0.782
1.849
4.891
8.995
22.162
Washington
2.298
2.897
7.340
9.476
2.847
13.779
38.637
West Virginia
0
0.187
0.681
0.16
0.287
0.398
1.713
Wisconsin
0
0.072
1.223
4.502
0
0.12
5.917
Wyoming
0
0
0.316
2.329
0.263
0.997
3.905
Puerto Rico
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Northern Mariana Islands
0
0
0
0
0
1.404
1.404
Marshall Islands
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Guam
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
American Samoa
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Virgin Islands
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
Republic of Palau
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
61.343
105.13
112.071
203.949
207.238
410.813
1100.544
Vermont
Total
Source: Department of Homeland Security.
Congressional Research Service
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Table 6. Requests and Awards for AFG Funding, FY2010
State
Number of
applications
Alabama
Federal funds
requested
($millions)
Federal funds
awarded
($millions)
Funds awarded as
a % of funds
requested
674
96.316
14.591
15.15%
Alaska
45
9.954
0.568
5.71%
Arizona
126
27.556
2.873
10.43%
Arkansas
300
44.642
5.111
11.45%
California
455
105.692
21.764
20.59%
Colorado
162
30.098
3.369
11.19%
Connecticut
201
37.739
3.166
8.39%
21
3.569
0.282
7.90%
2
0.447
0.368
82.33%
Florida
253
55.369
12.557
22.68%
Georgia
298
49.05
6.192
12.62%
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
2
0.534
0.261
48.88%
Idaho
94
14.085
2.361
16.76%
Illinois
679
116.024
14.809
12.76%
Indiana
386
58.256
10.759
18.47%
Iowa
369
45.45
5.818
12.80%
Kansas
203
27.591
3.055
11.07%
Kentucky
451
72.725
8.081
11.11%
Louisiana
197
33.435
4.414
13.20%
Maine
192
24.753
1.348
5.45%
Maryland
162
28.625
4.545
15.88%
Massachusetts
301
57.184
8.083
14.14%
Michigan
551
84.256
9.502
11.28%
Minnesota
419
69.131
18.923
27.37%
Mississippi
335
44.81
5.66
12.63%
Missouri
428
53.502
9.21
17.21%
Montana
141
21.442
3.204
14.94%
Nebraska
133
17.792
0.441
2.48%
25
5.142
1.437
27.95%
New Hampshire
110
16.886
1.496
8.86%
New Jersey
484
87.821
9.687
11.03%
New Mexico
63
11.924
1.632
13.69%
Nevada
New York
975
136.33
13.367
9.80%
North Carolina
645
102.416
13.137
12.83%
North Dakota
91
13.401
1.594
11.89%
Congressional Research Service
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
State
Number of
applications
Federal funds
requested
($millions)
Federal funds
awarded
($millions)
Funds awarded as
a % of funds
requested
Ohio
950
156.989
20.168
12.85%
Oklahoma
241
31.97
3.527
11.03%
Oregon
171
30.766
6.332
20.58%
Pennsylvania
1641
229.005
19.623
8.57%
Rhode Island
57
14.264
1.533
10.75%
South Carolina
378
50.393
8.684
17.23%
South Dakota
117
16.182
0.753
4.65%
Tennessee
517
78.254
11.259
14.39%
Texas
593
94.696
9.941
10.50%
Utah
93
16.076
2.985
18.57%
Vermont
84
11.737
0.689
5.87%
Virginia
237
43.841
5.991
13.67%
Washington
275
46.474
7.961
17.13%
West Virginia
273
44.61
5.074
11.37%
Wisconsin
584
80.314
9.569
11.91%
Wyoming
35
3.623
0.086
2.37%
Puerto Rico
8
1.499
0
0.00%
Northern Marianas
1
0.56
0
0.00%
Virgin Islands
2
0.355
0
0.00%
Guam
1
0.224
0
0.00%
16,231
2555.779
Total
337.840
13.22%
Source: Department of Homeland Security.
Author Contact Information
Lennard G. Kruger
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
lkruger@crs.loc.gov, 7-7070
Congressional Research Service
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