FEMA’s Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grant program provides funding for fire prevention programs and supports firefighter health and safety research and development. Wildland urban interface projects such as community risk assessments, adoption or reinstatement of WUI fire codes, and WUI education/awareness projects are funded.
Funding
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program
FEMA’s Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program provides funds to assist in 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. Wildland firefighter training and wildland PPE are also funded.
Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program
FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program funds critically needed resources to equip and train emergency personnel, enhance efficiencies, and support community resilience, such as wildland firefighter and officer training, basic wildland firefighting equipment, wildland firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE), and wildland fire apparatus.
State Fire Training Grants
The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) provides grants each year to state fire training agencies to bolster the delivery of National Fire Academy classes to career and volunteer fire and emergency services personnel from state, local, Tribal, and territorial organizations.
Volunteer Fire Assistance
The Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program, formerly known as the Rural Community Fire Protection program, is administered by state forestry agencies through 50-50 cost-sharing grants to fire departments in rural communities. The program’s main goal is to provide federal financial, technical, and other assistance for the organization, training, and equipping of fire departments in rural areas, defined as having a population of 10,000 or less.
FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program
The Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) offers several grant opportunities for wildfire in its Hazard Mitigation Assistance program. The Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) program awards planning and project grants to states, territories, federally recognized tribes, and local communities to implement a sustained, pre-disaster natural hazard mitigation program to raise public awareness about taking action before disaster strikes.
Federal Excess Personal Property Program & Firefighter Property Program
The Federal Excess Personal Property (FEPP) program loans Forest Service-owned vehicles, equipment, and other property to state foresters for wildland and rural firefighting.
FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP)
FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) is dedicated to breaking the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction, and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation includes long-term solutions such as structural retrofits that reduce the impact of disasters in the future. Assistance is available up to 12 months following a presidentially-declared major disaster. Application extensions may be requested.