Assistance to Firefighters Program:
Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Lennard G. Kruger
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
December 1, 2009
Congressional Research Service
7-5700
www.crs.gov
RL32341
CRS Report for Congress
P
repared 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 Grant Programs Directorate of 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 tenth year. The Fire Act statute was reauthorized in 2004
(Title XXXVI of P.L. 108-375) and provides overall 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).
On February 17, 2009, the President signed P.L. 111-5, the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act (ARRA) of 2009. The ARRA included 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.
For FY2010, the Obama Administration proposed $170 million for fire grants, a 70% decrease
from the FY2009 level, and $420 million for SAFER, double the amount appropriated in
FY2009. The total amount requested for firefighter assistance (AFG and SAFER) was $590
million, a 24% decrease from FY2009. P.L. 111-83, the FY2010 Department of Homeland
Security appropriations bill, provided $810 million for firefighter assistance, including $390
million for AFG and $420 million for SAFER.
On November 18, 2009, H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, was passed by
the House. The legislation reauthorizes AFG and SAFER through FY2014 and modifies the
distribution of fire grant funds. Debate over the AFG reauthorization has reflected a competition
for funding between career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. The
urgency of this debate has been heightened by the reduction of overall AFG funding in FY2010,
and the economic downturn in many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate
funding for their local fire departments.
This report will be updated as events warrant.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Contents
Background ................................................................................................................................ 1
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program .................................................................................... 1
First Reauthorization............................................................................................................. 1
Second Reauthorization......................................................................................................... 2
House Reauthorization Bill, H.R. 3791............................................................................ 4
Appropriations ...................................................................................................................... 6
FY2009........................................................................................................................... 7
FY2010........................................................................................................................... 8
Fire Station Construction Grants in the ARRA............................................................................. 9
SAFER Grants ............................................................................................................................ 9
Program Evaluation .................................................................................................................. 10
Distribution of Fire Grants ........................................................................................................ 11
Issues in the 111th Congress....................................................................................................... 13
Tables
Table 1. Major Provisions of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
Reauthorization Act of 2004..................................................................................................... 2
Table 2. Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance, FY2001-FY2010 ........................................... 6
Table 3. Recent and Proposed Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance ...................................... 7
Table 4. State-by-State Distribution of Fire Grants, FY2001-FY2008....................................... 13
Table 5. State-by-State Distribution of SAFER Grants, FY2005-FY2008.................................. 15
Table 6. Requests and Awards for Fire Grant Funding, FY2008 ................................................. 17
Contacts
Author Contact Information ...................................................................................................... 19
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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,1 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 firefighter-
related 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 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 106-398).2 Currently
administered by the Grant Programs Directorate of 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.
First Reauthorization
On October 28, 2004, the President signed the FY2005 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L.
108-375). Title XXXVI of P.L. 108-375 is the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
Reauthorization Act of 2004, which reauthorized the fire grant program through FY2009. Table 1
provides a summary of key provisions of the first reauthorization.
1 For a list of federal programs providing assistance to state and local first responders, see CRS Report R40246,
Department of Homeland Security Assistance to States and Localities: A Summary and Issues for the 111th Congress,
by Shawn Reese.
2 “Firefighter assistance” is codified as section 33 of the Federal Fire Prevention and Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2229).
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Table 1. Major Provisions of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
Reauthorization Act of 2004
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
no single grant can exceed 0.5% of total funds appropriated for a single fiscal year
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
Nonfederal match requirements:
20% for populations over 50K
10% for populations 20K to 50K
5% for populations less than 20K
No match requirement for non-fire department prevention and firefighter safety grants
Authorized for five years:
FY2005—$900 million
FY2006—$950 million
FY2007—$1 billion
FY2008—$1 billion
FY2009—$1 billion
Expands grant eligibility to emergency medical service squads, not less than 3.5% of fire grant money for EMS, but no
more than 2% for nonaffiliated EMS
Provides grants for firefighter health and safety R&D
Requires the USFA Administrator to convene an annual meeting of non-federal fire service experts to recommend
criteria for awarding grants and administrative changes
Requires fire service peer review of grant applications
Requires the USFA, in conjunction with the National Fire Protection Association, to conduct a $300,000, 18-month
study on the fire grant program and the need for federal assistance to state and local communities to fund firefighting
and emergency response activities
Source: Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2004, Section XXXVI of P.L. 108-375,
FY2005 National Defense Authorization Act
Second Reauthorization
The current authorization of AFG expired on September 30, 2009; the authorization of SAFER
expires September 30, 2010. On July 8, 2009, the House Committee on Science and Technology,
Subcommittee on Technology & Innovation, held a hearing on the reauthorization of the FIRE
grant programs (both AFG and SAFER).3 Testimony was heard from FEMA and many of the
major fire service organizations including the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the
3 See http://science.house.gov/publications/hearings_markups_details.aspx?NewsID=2539.
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International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC),
and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
A major issue surrounding the fire grant reauthorization is whether the current distribution of fire
grant funds should be altered. Under current law, the majority of funding goes to rural and
volunteer fire departments. This is the case because individual fire departments throughout the
nation apply directly for funding, and there are many more volunteer and rural fire departments
than career and urban/suburban fire departments.4 In general, career departments tend to protect
the more densely populated urban and suburban areas, while volunteer departments tend to
protect more rural areas.
Testimony presented by the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), representing career
(paid) firefighters, argued that under current law, “the overwhelming majority of FIRE grants are
awarded to fire departments that protect a relatively small percentage of the population.”5
According to IAFF, a greater proportion of funding should go to career fire departments
protecting the more densely populated suburban and urban areas, and suggested the following
changes in the fire act statute:
• professional, volunteer, and combination departments should each be guaranteed
at least 30% of total grant funding each year (under current statute, volunteer and
combination departments must receive no less than 55% of funding; in practice
career departments have received about 20% of AFG funding);
• funding caps for a single grant should be raised to $10 million for communities
of 1 million population or more, $5 million for communities of 500,000 or more,
$2 million for communities of 100,000 or more, and $1 million for communities
with populations under 100,000 (current statutory caps are $2.75 million for
populations over 1 million, $1.75 million for populations over 500,000, and $1
million for populations under 500,000); and
• the local match requirement for fire grants should be set at 15% for all applicants,
with DHS having the authority to waive the match requirement for needy
departments (the current statutory matching requirements are 20% for
populations over 50,000, 10% for populations over 20,000, and 5% for
populations less than 20,000).6
On the other hand, testimony from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NFVC) stated that its
main priority for reauthorization of AFG (as well as SAFER) is to extend the programs without
substantial changes, and that “the programs are well-run, distributing funding in an efficient
4 According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), there are an estimated 30,185
fire departments in the United States (2007 data). Of those, 7.5% are career departments, 5.8%
are mostly career, 16.5% are mostly volunteer, and 70.1% are all volunteer. Most career
firefighters (74%) are in communities that protect 25,000 or more people, while most volunteer
firefighters (95%) are in departments that protect fewer than 25,000, and more than half are
located in small, rural departments that protect fewer than 2,500 people.
5 Kevin O’Connor, Assistant to the General President, International Association of Fire Fighters, testimony before the
House Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, Committee on Science and Technology, July 8, 2009, p. 3,
http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/file/Commdocs/hearings/2009/Tech/8jul/O’Connor_Testimony.pdf.
6 Ibid.
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manner to the most deserving awardees.”7 NVFC argued that volunteer departments are
concentrated in rural communities with smaller tax bases and higher poverty rates, that “DHS
needs assessments have consistently shown that equipment training and apparatus needs are most
acute in volunteer departments,”8 and that since 2001 DHS first responder grants for terrorism
and disaster response have predominantly gone to urban areas.
Meanwhile, other suggested reauthorization changes to the AFG statute made by the July 8
hearing witnesses included:
• establish DHS waiver authority for the existing local match requirement for
economically challenged jurisdictions (IAFC);
• establish centers of excellence in fire safety research (IAFC);
• allow larger grants for regional projects (IAFC);
• eliminate the cost-share requirement for fire departments in the Fire Prevention
and Firefighter Safety grant program (NFPA and IAFF);
• designate a minimum of 5% of funding for fire service-based emergency medical
services (NFPA);
• utilize funds for training and equipment to meet the latest applicable national
voluntary consensus standards available at the time of application (NFPA); and
• make state training agencies (e.g. state fire academies) eligible for AFG funding
(NVFC).
As manifested in the July 8 hearing, debate over the AFG reauthorization is likely to reflect a
competition for funding primarily between career/urban/suburban departments and
volunteer/rural departments. The urgency of this debate will likely be heightened by probable
reductions in FY2010 AFG funding and by the economic downturn in many local communities
increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for their local fire departments.
House Reauthorization Bill, H.R. 3791
On October 13, 2009, H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, was introduced by
Representative Mitchell. The legislation reflects an agreement reached among the major fire
service organizations on the reauthorization language. H.R. 3791 was referred to the House
Committee on Science and Technology, and approved (amended) by the Subcommittee on
Technology and Innovation on October 14, 2009, and by the full Committee on October 21, 2009.
H.R. 3791 was reported (amended) by the Committee on November 7, 2009 (H.Rept. 111-333,
Part I). H.R. 3791 was amended and passed by the House on November 18, 2009. Adopted
amendments included: directing DHS to conduct a survey of fire department compliance with
firefighter safety standards; requiring DHS to give added consideration to applications from areas
with high unemployment; making river rescue organizations eligible for funding; expanding AFG
7 Jack Carriger, First Vice Chairman of the National Volunteer Fire Council, testimony before the House Subcommittee
on Technology and Innovation, Committee on Science and Technology, July 8, 2009, p. 3,
http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/file/Commdocs/hearings/2009/Tech/8jul/Carriger_Testimony.pdf.
8 Ibid.
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scope to include equipment that reduces water use; and prohibiting earmarking of funds
appropriated under the Act.
H.R. 3791, as passed by the House, would authorize AFG at a level of $1 billion per year through
FY2014 and includes the following major provisions:
• Grant Money Distribution—directs that grant money should be allocated (to the
extent that there are eligible applicants) as follows: 25% of AFG funding to
career fire departments, 25% to volunteer fire departments, 25% to combination
fire departments, 10% (minimum) for fire prevention, safety, and research grants,
2% (maximum) for volunteer non-fire service EMS and rescue, 3% (maximum)
for fire service training academies, and 10% to be competitive between career,
volunteer and combination departments;
• Grant Caps – sets maximum individual grant levels at $9 million for jurisdictions
with populations over 2.5 million, $6 million for populations between 1 million
and 2.5 million, $3 million for populations between 500,000 and 1 million, $2
million for populations between 100,000 and 500,000, and $1 million for
populations under 100,000;
• Matching Requirements—keeps the existing 5% matching requirement for
communities of 20K or less, sets the matching requirement for all other
jurisdictions at 10%, and allows an economic hardship waiver whereby in
“exceptional circumstances” DHS may waive or reduce the matching
requirements;
• Maintenance of Expenditures – amends the existing maintenance of expenditures
provision to require applicants to maintain budgets at 80% of the average over
the past two years, also allows an economic hardship waiver whereby in
“exceptional circumstances” DHS may waive or reduce the maintenance of
expenditures requirements;
• Fire Prevention, Research, and Safety Grants—increases available funding from
5% to 10% of total, raises grant maximum from $1 million to $1.5 million,
eliminates the matching requirement for fire departments, and prohibits any
funding to the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now
(ACORN);
• University Fire Safety Research Centers – as part of the fire prevention, research,
and safety grants, authorizes DHS to establish no more than three university fire
safety research centers with funding of any one center at not more than $2
million per fiscal year;
• State Fire Training Academies – allows DHS to award up to 3% of grant funding
to state fire training academies, with individual grants not to exceed $1 million;
• Voluntary Consensus Standards – directs that grants used for training should be
limited to training that complies with applicable national voluntary consensus
standards, unless a waiver has been granted; and
• Survey and Task Force on Firefighter Safety – directs DHS to conduct a
nationwide survey to assess whether fire departments are in compliance with the
national voluntary consensus standards for staffing, training, safe operations,
personal protective equipment, and fitness; establishes a Task Force to Enhance
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Firefighter Safety to make recommendations to Congress on ways to increase
compliance with firefighter safety standards.
H.R. 3791 also reauthorizes the SAFER grant program at a level of $1.196 billion per year
through FY2014. The legislation would modify the SAFER grant program by shortening the grant
period to three years, establishing a 20% local matching requirement for each year, removing the
existing federal funding cap per hired firefighter, making national organizations eligible for
recruitment and retention funds, and allowing DHS in the case of economic hardship to waive
cost share requirements, the three year grant period, and/or maintenance of expenditure
requirements.
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. The fire grant program is in its ninth year. Table 2 shows the appropriations history for
firefighter assistance, including AFG, SAFER, and the Fire Station Construction (FSC) grants
provided in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Over $4.8 billion has been
appropriated to the AFG program since FY2001, its initial year. Table 3 shows recent and
proposed appropriated funding for the AFG and SAFER grant programs.
Table 2. Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance, FY2001-FY2010
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
$210 million
$985 million
FY2010
$390 million
$420 million
$810 million
Total
$5.202 billion
$1.109 billion
$210 million
$6.521 billion
a. Assistance to Firefighters Fire Station Construction Grants (SCG) grants were funded by the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act (P.L. 111-5).
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Table 3. Recent and Proposed Appropriations for Firefighter Assistance
(millions of dollars)
FY2009
FY2009
FY2010
FY2010
FY2010
FY2010
(Admin.
(P.L. 110-
(Admin.
(House-
(Senate-
(P.L. 111-
request)
329)
request)
passed H.R.
passed H.R.
83)
2892)
2892)
FIRE
300 565 170
390 390 390
Grants
(AFG)
SAFER 0 210
420
420
420
420
Grants
Total 300
775
590
810
810
810
FY2009
The Bush Administration proposed $300 million for fire grants in FY2009, a 46% cut from the
FY2008 level of $560 million. No funding was proposed for SAFER grants. The total request for
firefighter assistance was 60% below the FY2008 level for fire and SAFER grants combined.
According to the budget justification, “the Administration believes that $287 million is an
appropriate level of funding given the availability of significant amounts of funding for first
responder preparedness missions from other DHS grant programs which are coordinated with
state and local homeland security strategies and, unlike AFG, are allocated on the basis of risk.”
Priority would be given to applications that enhance capabilities needed for terrorism response
and other major incidents. Funding would only be available for critical response equipment,
training, and personal protective gear, and would not be available for wellness/fitness activities or
modifications to facilities for firefighter safety.
On June 19, 2008, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the FY2009 appropriations bill
for the Department of Homeland Security (S. 3181; S.Rept. 110-396). The bill would provide
$750 million for firefighter assistance, including $560 million for fire grants and $190 million for
SAFER grants. This is the same funding level approved for FY2008. The Committee directed
DHS to continue the present practice of funding applications according to local priorities and
those established by the U.S. Fire Administration, and further directed DHS to continue direct
funding to fire departments and the peer review process. Additionally, $3 million was made
available for foam firefighter equipment used in remote areas.
On June 24, 2008, the House Appropriations Committee approved its version of the FY2009
appropriations for the Department of Homeland Security, and reported its bill on September 18,
2008 (H.R. 6947; H.Rept. 110-862). The Committee would provide $800 million for firefighter
assistance, consisting of $570 million for fire grants and $230 million for SAFER grants. The
Committee directed FEMA to continue granting funds directly to local fire departments and to
include the U.S. Fire Administration during the grant administration process, while also
maintaining an all-hazards focus and not limiting the list of eligible activities. The Committee
would continue the requirement that FEMA peer review grant applications that meet criteria
established by FEMA and the fire service, rank order applications according to peer review, fund
applications according to their rank order, and provide official notification detailing why
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applications do not meet the criteria for review. The Committee also directed FEMA to encourage
regional applications.
The Consolidated Security, Disaster Assistance, and Continuing Appropriations Act, 2009 (P.L.
110-329)—which contains the FY2009 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act—
provided $775 million for firefighter assistance, including $565 million for fire grants and $210
million for SAFER. The DHS explanatory statement directed FEMA to continue the present
practice of funding applications according to local priorities and those established by the USFA.
FY2010
For FY2010, the Obama Administration proposed $170 million for AFG, a 70% decrease from the
FY2009 level, and $420 million for SAFER, double the amount appropriated in FY2009. The
total amount requested for firefighter assistance (AFG and SAFER) was $590 million, a 24%
decrease from FY2009. The FY2010 budget proposal stated that the firefighter assistance grant
process “will give priority to applications that enhance capabilities for terrorism response and
other major incidents.”9
The House FY2010 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 2892; H.Rept.
111-157) provided $800 million for firefighter assistance, including $380 million for AFG and
$420 million for SAFER. Although the SAFER level matched the Administration’s request, the
AFG level was more than twice what the Administration proposed. According to the Committee
Report, the Administration’s request of $170 million for AFG “is woefully inadequate given the
vast needs of fire departments across the nation for equipment.” The Committee directed FEMA
to continue granting funds to local fire departments, include the United States Fire Administration
in the grant decision process, and maintain an all-hazard focus while prohibiting the limiting of
eligible activities including wellness.
The House passed H.R. 2892 on June 24, 2009. During floor consideration of H.R. 2892, the
House approved a manager’s amendment that added $10 million to the AFG account. Therefore,
the House-passed total for AFG was $390 million.
The Senate FY2010 Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill (S. 1298; S.Rept. 111-
31) provided $800 million for firefighter assistance, including $380 million for AFG and $420
million for SAFER. The Appropriations 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 Senate passed H.R. 2892 on July 9, 2009. During floor consideration, the Senate adopted an
amendment (S.Amdt. 1458) that added $10 million to the AFG account. Therefore, the Senate-
passed total for AFG was also $390 million.
The Conference Report for the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010
(H.Rept. 111-298) was passed by the House on October 15. H.Rept. 111-298 provided $390
million for AFG and $420 million for SAFER, identical to the levels in both the House and
Senate-passed H.R. 2892. The Conferees directed FEMA to continue the present practice of
funding applications according to local priorities and those established by the USFA, to maintain
9 Office of Management and Budget, Appendix: Budget of the United States Government, FY2010, p. 547.
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an all-hazards focus, to grant funds for eligible activities in accordance with the authorizing
statute, and to continue the current grant application and review process as specified in the House
report. The Conference Report was passed by the House on October 15, by the Senate on October
20, and signed into law, P.L. 111-83, on October 28, 2009.
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 (section 603) that waived the matching requirement for SAFER grants
funded by appropriations in fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
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.
On October 2, 2009, FEMA announced Round 1 of the FY2009 SCG awards, issuing 96 grants
totaling $165 million to fire departments within the United States. A complete list of Round 1
SCG awards is available at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/afscg/awards/09/.
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. P.L. 108-136
authorizes over one billion dollars per year through FY2010 for SAFER.
Two types of grants are authorized by the SAFER Act: hiring grants and recruitment and retention
grants. Hiring grants cover a four-year term and are cost shared with the local jurisdiction.
According to the statute, the federal share shall not exceed 90% in the first year of the grant, 80%
in the second year, 50% in the third year, and 30% in the fourth year. The grantee must commit to
retaining the firefighter or firefighters hired with the SAFER grant for at least one additional year
after the federal money expires. Total federal funding for hiring a firefighter over the four-year
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grant period may not exceed $100,000, although that total may be adjusted for inflation. While
the majority of hiring grants will be awarded to career and combination fire departments, the
SAFER Act specifies that 10% of the total SAFER appropriation be awarded to volunteer or
majority-volunteer departments for the hiring of personnel.
Additionally, at least 10% of the total SAFER appropriation is set aside for recruitment and
retention grants, which are available to volunteer and combination fire departments for activities
related to the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. Also eligible for recruitment and
retention grants are local and statewide organizations that represent the interests of volunteer
firefighters. No local cost sharing is required for recruitment and retention grants.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (P.L. 111-5) included a provision (section
603) that waives the matching requirement for SAFER grants in fiscal years 2009 and 2010.
Additionally, the FY2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act (P.L. 111-32) included a provision
(section 605) giving the Secretary of Homeland Security authority to waive certain limitations
and restrictions in the SAFER statute. For grants awarded in FY2009 and FY2010, waivers will
permit grantees to use SAFER funds to rehire laid-off firefighters and fill positions eliminated
through attrition, will allow grants to extend longer than the current five year duration, and will
permit the amount of funding per position at levels exceeding the current limit of $100,000.
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.”10 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,”11 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
10 For full report see http://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/affgp-fy01-usda-report.pdf.
11 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.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
approach—including industry driven priority setting and its well-respected peer review
process.”12
The Administration’s FY2008 budget proposal was accompanied by program evaluations called
the Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART). For assessment year 2007, PART gave the fire
grant program a rating of “Effective,” (an improvement from the previous rating of “Results Not
Demonstrated”). The PART directed DHS to embark on an improvement plan encompassing three
elements: establishing a continuing strategic planning process, improving program transparency,
and increasing outreach.13
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.
Distribution of Fire Grants
The FIRE Act statute prescribes 14 different purposes for which fire grant money may be used
(see 15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(3)). These are: hiring firefighters; training firefighters; creating rapid
intervention teams; certifying fire inspectors; establishing wellness and fitness programs; funding
emergency medical services; acquiring firefighting vehicles; acquiring firefighting equipment;
acquiring personal protective equipment; modifying fire stations for health and safety; enforcing
fire codes; funding fire prevention programs; educating the public about arson prevention and
detection; and providing incentives for the recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The
DHS 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 (no more than 2% of funds allocated) 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 national, state, local, or community fire prevention or
safety organizations (including, but not limited to, fire departments). For official program
12 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.
13 Office of Management and Budget, ExpectMore.gov, Detailed Information on the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, Grants and Training Office Assistance to Firefighters Grants Assessment, Assessment Year 2007, available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/expectmore/detail/10001071.2007.html.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
guidelines, frequently-asked-questions, the latest awards announcements, and other information,
see the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program web page at http://www.firegrantsupport.com/.
The FIRE Act statute provides overall guidelines on how fire grant money will be distributed and
administered. The law directs that volunteer and combination departments receive a proportion of
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). The Assistance to Firefighters
Grant Program Reauthorization Act of 2004 (Title XXXVI of P.L. 108-375) raised award caps
and lowered nonfederal matching requirements (based on recipient community population),
extended eligibility to nonaffiliated emergency medical services (i.e. ambulance services not
affiliated with fire departments), and expanded the scope of grants to include firefighter safety
R&D.
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).14 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.15
According to the FY2009 Program Guidance for the Assistance to Firefighters Program, career
(paid) departments will compete against other career departments for up to 45% of the available
funding, while volunteer and combination departments will compete for at least 55% of the
available funding.16 However, given that less than 10% of fire grant applications are historically
received from career departments, funding levels are likely not to reach the 45% ceiling for career
departments. Additionally, each fire department that applies is classified as either urban,
suburban, or rural. In FY2006, 4.3% of the total number of fire grant awards went to urban areas,
17.8% to suburban areas, and 77.7% to rural areas. Of the total amount of federal funding
awarded, 7.7% went to urban areas, 18.2% to suburban areas, and 73.9% to rural areas.17
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 FY2008, while Table 5 shows a state-by-state breakdown of SAFER grant
14 15 U.S.C. 2229(b)(9).
15 44 CFR Part 152.6(c).
16 For the FY2008 round of awards, no less than 34% of AFG funds must be awarded to combination departments, and
no less than 21% of AFG funds must be awarded to all-volunteer departments. See Department of Homeland Security,
Fiscal Year 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grants: Guidance and Application Kit, April 2009, p. 25.
17 Department of Homeland Security, Grant Programs Directorate, Grant Development and Administration Division,
Report on Fiscal Year 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grants, p. 11.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
funding for FY2005 through FY2008. Table 6 provides an in-depth look at the FY2008 fire
grants, showing, for each state, the number of fire departments in each state,18 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 15% of the funds they requested in FY2008. This is down from 16% in
FY2007, 21% in FY2006, 22% in FY2005, 28% in FY2004, and 34% in FY2003. This reflects
the fact that the number of applications and federal funds requested have trended upward over
these years, while appropriations for the fire grant program have declined over the same period.
Issues in the 111th Congress
The Obama Administration’s FY2010 budget proposal for firefighter assistance received
heightened scrutiny from the fire community, given what was viewed as inadequate past budget
proposals by the Bush Administration, and given the national economic downturn and local
budgetary cutbacks that many fire departments are now facing. Concerns over local fire
departments’ budgetary problems have also framed debate of the assistance to firefighters grant
program reauthorization bill, which is being considered during the first session of the 111th
Congress.
On October 13, 2009, H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009, was introduced to
reauthorize AFG and SAFER through FY2014 and to modify the distribution of fire grant funds.
Debate over the AFG reauthorization has reflected a competition for funding between
career/urban/suburban departments and volunteer/rural departments. The urgency of this debate
has been heightened by the probable reduction of overall AFG funding in FY2010, and the
economic downturn in many local communities increasingly hard pressed to allocate funding for
their local fire departments.
Table 4. State-by-State Distribution of Fire Grants,
FY2001-FY2008
(millions of dollars)
FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
AL
3.085 12.503 23.329 25.097 20.836
22.027 19.903
23.332 150.112
AK
1.303 2.641 5.242 2.522 3.111
0.754 2.454
0.990 19.017
AZ
1.37 3.6 7.490 9.808 7.905 4.041 4.932 5.440 44.586
AR
1.337 4.635 10.675 13.680 10.402 7.699 7.799 7.107 63.334
CA
5.905 18.978 30.060 29.793 25.631 17.856 18.730 26.198 173.151
CO
1.003 3.968 6.168 5.585 6.073 3.213 4.742 2.490 33.242
CT
1.828 4.675 10.841 9.991 7.287 5.479 6.630 6.925 53.656
18 The fire grant program sets a limit of up to three applications per fire department per year (a vehicle application, an
application for operations and safety, and a regional application). Thus, the number of fire departments in a state plays
a major factor in the number of fire grant applications submitted and the amount of total funding awarded within a
given state. For example, because Pennsylvania has—by far—the largest number of fire departments, it is not
surprising that it leads the nation in the number of fire grants applications and the amount of funding awarded.
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
DE
0.132 0.372 1.096 1.755 1.161 1.107 0.518 0.231 6.372
DC
0 0.22
0 0 0.453
0 0.376
1.171
2.22
FL
2.865 10.16 16.344 15.969 17.922 6.787 8.288 6.
738 85.073
GA
2.375 6.079 13.791 11.857 10.168 8.887 9.068 7.959 70.184
HI
0
1.182 0.947 0.864 1.205 0.264 0.436 0.772 5.67
ID
0.916 2.744 6.001 4.828 4.684 2.712 4.297 2.687 28.869
IL 2.417 13.398 28.810 27.238 25.433 21.120 21.923 21.325 161.664
IN 2.703 8.739 20.456 18.646 15.779 14.447 13.831 13.092 107.693
IA 1.301 7.284 16.087 16.430 13.119 10.064 9.298 9.877 83.46
KS
1.153 5.118 10.850 10.211 7.165 4.984 5.502 3.928 48.911
KY
2.215 7.896 19.832 16.150 14.215 13.308 13.081 17.153 103.85
LA
3.344 10.084 12.248 11.101 11.630 6.935 5.473 7.033 67.848
ME
1.296 4.319 10.323 10.031 6.124 6.702 5.486 4.904 49.185
MD
0.739 4.08 8.153 10.227 8.771 10.368 7.712 5.525 55.575
MA
2.301 8.386 15.715 13.958 13.529 8.957 11.644 9.532 84.022
MI 2.815 8.948 17.247 20.005 15.088 15.798 15.399 15.482 110.782
MN
2.133 8.149 17.510 18.609 14.894 14.718 16.600 13.082 105.695
MS
1.763 6.755 15.679 11.329 9.856 7.885 8.052 7.761 69.08
MO
3.079 10.291 19.573 17.757 14.246 13.202 10.611 11.589 100.348
MT
1.164 3.726 8.361 7.271 6.656 5.839 7.330 4.670 45.017
NE
1.034 2.392 7.820 6.577 5.116 4.399 4.443 4.324 36.105
NV
0.282 1.446 3.312 1.405 1.946 0.857 1.530 0.687 11.465
NH
0.594 1.887 4.584 5.694 4.563 3.307 3.219 2.723 26.571
NJ 2.596 6.339 19.982 16.488 14.691 12.386 13.266 13.201 98.949
NM
1.455 3.463 5.048 3.653 2.259 1.461 1.367 1.101 19.807
NY
3.978 14.728 34.320 35.030 36.009 33.804 22.664 30.204 210.737
NC
1.949 10.239 22.864 22.360 19.315 18.309 20.031 18.460 133.527
ND
0.546 2.613 5.105 3.391 2.673 2.459 3.100 3.297 23.184
OH
2.731 13.742 26.997 29.107 27.344 25.380 26.433 26.938 178.672
OK
1.864 4.939 10.540 10.393 8.757 10.852 7.220 6.875 61.44
OR
1.596 4.892 9.896 10.122 10.014 9.288 5.943 8.438 60.189
PA
2.89 16.97 45.179 47.898 39.233 41.259 43.610 41.041 278.08
RI
0.407 1.507 2.327 1.917 2.129 2.025 0.855 1.395 12.562
SC
1.554 5.257 11.832 14.150 10.544 8.028 10.470 11.040 72.875
SD
0.904 3.142 5.602 4.693 3.570 2.989 2.474 2.069 25.443
TN
2.46 11.509 19.306 18.686 15.047 11.209 12.955 16.074 107.246
TX
3.697 15.644 29.264 30.118 23.480 18.035 17.691 20.458 158.387
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
FY2001 FY2002 FY2003 FY2004 FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
UT
0.9 2.754 4.628 3.880 2.188 2.213 3.378 0.934 20.875
VT
0.451 1.971 5.163 4.747 2.071 1.456 1.820 1.046 18.725
VA
2.066 8.79 15.816 16.668 14.357 8.317 10.403 8.370 84.787
WA
1.535 7.544 18.808 19.565 15.763 16.150 12.951 13.050 105.366
WV
1.067 3.966 9.942 9.133 10.143 5.838 7.164 7.238 54.491
WI
2.077 7.518 18.234 19.668 17.685 13.994 19.439 15.216 113.831
WY
1.09 1.612 3.507 1.811 2.032 1.197 1.645 1.023 13.917
PR
0.657 0.382 1.643 1.140 1.104 0.528 0.019 0.074 5.547
MP
0.145
0.225
0 0 0.220
0.172
0 0 0.762
GU
0 0.016
0 0 0 0.287
0 0 0.303
AS
0.164
0 0 0.284
0 0 0 0 0.448
VI
0.741
0 0.544
0 0 0 0 0.233
1.518
Tot 91.972 334.417 695.121
679.305 585.619 491.375 494.221
492.527 3864.56
Source: Department of Homeland Security. FY2008 awards data current as of November 30, 2009.
Table 5. State-by-State Distribution of SAFER Grants,
FY2005-FY2008
(millions of dollars)
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
Alabama
1.611 6.215 4.236
7.314 19.376
Alaska
1.051 0.205 0.418 1.438 3.112
Arizona
1.560 3.559 4.428 6.613 16.16
Arkansas
0.394 1.820 0.377 3.834 6.425
California
5.221 5.212 4.259 4
.212 18.904
Colorado
1.584 3.479 1.730 2.02 8.813
Connecticut
0.130 0.191 0.856 3.92 5.097
Delaware
0
0.135 0
0.398 0.533
District
of
Columbia
0 0 0 0 0
Florida
6.576 9.329 6.217 18.486 40.608
Georgia
5.354 2.085 2.842 17.438 27.719
Hawai
0 0 0 1.626
1.626
Idaho
0.063 0.621 0.626 0.774 2.084
Illinois 1.340 4.463 9.933 5.85 21.586
Indiana
0
0.099 2.687 6.528 9.314
Iowa
0.169 0.144 0.980 1.288 2.581
Kansas
0.667 0.045 1.029 1.872 3.613
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
Kentucky
0.152 2.890 0.429 2.466 5.937
Louisiana
3.430 3.078 4.728 8.62 19.856
Maine
0.081 0
0.316 0.951 1.348
Maryland
0.096 1.862 1.526 3.171 6.655
Massachusetts 1.300 2.079 4.372 2.690 10.441
Michigan
1.759 0.592 0
0.823 3.174
Minnesota
0.300 1.089 0.375 3.246 5.01
Mississippi
0.756 0.594 0.115 1.608 3.073
Missouri
1.467 3.547 4.551 2.381 11.946
Montana
0.034 0.255 2.635 2.955 5.879
Nebraska
0
0.873 0.632 1.951 3.456
Nevada
1.500 1.714 0.632 0.086 3.932
New
Hampshire 0.400 1.035 1.528 0.225 3.188
New
Jersey
6.374 3.971 2.953 4.389 17.687
New
Mexico
0
3.123 1.309 0.108 4.54
New
York
1.540 2.991 2.845 4.412 11.788
North
Carolina 2.155 5.533 5.371 18.183 31.242
North
Dakota 0
0.609 0
1.518 2.127
Ohio
1.319 1.881 2.255 3.737 9.192
Oklahoma
0.147 0.699 0.531 2.782 4.159
Oregon
1.710 2.141 2.649 2.071 8.571
Pennsylvania
1.244 1.475 2.633 3.515 8.867
Rhode
Island 0.400
0 0.105
0 0.505
South
Carolina 0.456 0.863 3.218 8.158 12.695
South
Dakota 0.063 0.311 0.211 0.552 1.137
Tennessee
2.700 2.719 3.683 1.856 10.958
Texas
0.951 10.961 8.779 19.06 39.751
Utah
0.900 3.312 2.098 5.162 11.472
Vermont
0 0.621
0.632
0 1.253
Virginia
2.091 3.554 0.782 1.849 8.276
Washington
2.298 2.897 7.340 9.476 22.011
West Virginia
0
0.187
0.681
0.16
1.028
Wisconsin
0
0.072 1.223 4.502 5.797
Wyoming 0 0 0.316
2.329
2.645
Puerto
Rico 0 0 0 0 0
Northern
Mariana
Islands
0 0 0 0 0
Marshal
Islands
0 0 0 0 0
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
FY2005 FY2006 FY2007 FY2008 Total
Guam
0 0 0 0 0
American
Samoa
0 0 0 0 0
Virgin
Islands 0 0 0 0 0
Republic
of
Palua
0 0 0 0 0
Total
61.356 105.142
113.665 208.618 488.781
Source: Department of Homeland Security. FY2008 awards data current as of October 16, 2009.
Table 6. Requests and Awards for Fire Grant Funding, FY2008
Federal
Funds
Number of
Federal funds funds
awarded as a %
fire/EMS
Number of
requested
awarded
of funds
State
departments
applications
($millions)
($millions)
requested
Alabama 966
779
98.572 23.332
23.7%
Alaska 75
56
11.639
0.990
8.5%
Arizona 283
178
37.546 5.440
14.9%
Arkansas 826
420
57.787 7.107 12.3%
California 823
534
107.544 26.198 24.4%
Colorado 375
166
23.557 2.490 10.6%
Connecticut 401
253
48.993
6.925
14.1%
Delaware 77
34
6.658 0.231 3.5%
District of
18 1 1.171
1.171
100%
Columbia
Florida 755
289
61.767
6.
738
10.9%
Georgia 799
395
65.445 7.959 12.2%
Hawai 20
3
0.790 0.772
97.7%
Idaho 212 116 17.866
2.687
15.0%
Illinois
1090 885 139.872
21.325 15.2%
Indiana 670
507
79.752
13.092
16.4%
Iowa 864 560 66.413
9.877
14.9%
Kansas 680
276
36.251
3.928
10.8%
Kentucky 796
630
93.814 17.153 18.3%
Louisiana 557
262
43.389 7.033 16.2%
Maine 431 307
42.884
4.904
11.4%
Maryland 418
205
39.909 5.525 13.8%
Massachusetts 408
349
70.441
9.532
13.5%
Michigan 865
776
110.679 15.482 14.0%
Minnesota 770
521
66.066 13.082
19.8%
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
Federal
Funds
Number of
Federal funds funds
awarded as a %
fire/EMS
Number of
requested
awarded
of funds
State
departments
applications
($millions)
($millions)
requested
Mississippi 756
435
58.775 7.761 13.2%
Missouri 865
520
67.270 11.589 17.2%
Montana 283
193
25.466 4.670 18.3%
Nebraska 486
180
25.167 4.324 17.2%
Nevada 161
32
6.619 0.687 10.4%
New Hampshire
256
145
22.804
2.723
11.9%
New Jersey
1044
618
95.824
13.201
13.8%
New Mexico
341
91
16.717
1.101
6.6%
New York
1894
1315
186.879
30.204
16.2%
North Carolina
1411
728
111.791
18.460
16.5%
North Dakota
322
153
21.491
3.297
15.3%
Ohio 1338 1062 171.359
26.938
15.7%
Oklahoma 772
397
52.973 6.875 13.0%
Oregon 360
231
37.603 8.438 22.4%
Pennsylvania 2635
2255
342.725 41.041 12.0%
Rhode Island
101
74
12.840
1.395
10.9%
South Carolina
592
419
59.058
11.040
18.7%
South Dakota
345
179
23.363
2.069
8.8%
Tennessee 649
660
92.595 16.074 17.3%
Texas 1883 775
132.007
20.458
15.5%
Utah 221 120 17.539
0.934
5.3%
Vermont 255
104
13.314 1.046 7.8%
Virginia 822
327
57.327
8.370 14.6%
Washington 543
357
67.575
13.050 19.3%
West Virginia
476
365
55.026
7.238
13.1%
Wisconsin 901
713
98.293 15.216 15.5%
Wyoming 135
51
7.779 1.023 13.1%
Puerto Rico
7
8
1.354
0.074
5.5%
Northern
Not available
2
0.497
0
0%
Marianas
Virgin Islands
Not available
2
0.437
0.233
53.3%
Guam Not
available
2
1.145
0 0%
Total
30,185
21,015
3212.427
492.527
15.3%
Sources: Department of Homeland Security (FY2008 application and awards data as of 11/30/2009) and
firehouse.com (number of firehouse/EMS departments, updated June 2009).
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Assistance to Firefighters Program: Distribution of Fire Grant Funding
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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