Legislation and Funding
As part of the FireRescue1 Legislation & Funding topic, we highlight articles that will affect the bottom line of fire department budgets and operations.
When elected or appointed officials make decisions without the proper context, they have the potential to endanger public safety
Public safety leaders warn that the House-passed bill lacks critical support for upgrading outdated 911 systems, calling the omission a threat to emergency response and community safety
Kissimmee’s transition from 24/48 shifts includes a two-phase hiring plan for 49 firefighters by April 2026, funded by a new property-based fire assessment
The bill increases the SALT deduction cap from $10,000 to $40,400; it also creates a deduction for income taxes paid on OT earnings for individuals making under $160,000 per year
With a busy Atlantic hurricane season expected, lawmakers are raising concerns about emergency readiness and public safety
The 2026 plan includes a move to eliminate the EMS special fund, shifting $75M in revenue to the general fund.
Time and again, history has shown what happens when fire codes are ignored
Stay current on NIOSH program layoffs, the status of the National Fire Academy and changes to FEMA
The Emergency Management and Response — Information Sharing and Analysis Center will cease operations on June 1 amid cost reviews and federal restructuring directives
The FIRE Act would invest $20 million annually to expand safety protections, fair wages, and job training while creating a path to record expungement and long-term firefighting careers
If your fire department budget is stretched thin, every dollar matters
FEMA reversed a months-long freeze after determining key courses were critical to local and national emergency response efforts
The IAFC has formed a task force to ensure fire and EMS agencies have a voice in the future of emergency response and disaster preparedness
A plan to centralize federal firefighting under the Interior Department is raising alarms over weakened wildfire response, higher risks and rising costs
State legislators are considering funding to help fire departments replace PFAS-laden PPE, as evidence links the toxic chemicals to cancer risks
The President’s Budget proposal takes a new, but not unexpected, approach to consolidating several wildland firefighting systems
SAFER and FP&S grant programs will fund new hires, fire prevention campaigns and firefighter health research for FY 2024
From feedback analysis to data improvements, here’s how agencies can regroup and reapply with better results
Areas of focus included preparing for wildfire and WUI events, managing lithium battery fires, and new approaches to firefighter health and wellness
The Los Angeles City Council’s committee voted to cut 42 Emergency Incident Technician positions from the fire department, a move opposed by interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva
Virginia Beach’s new budget includes pay increases, boosts for public safety salaries, and funding for new firefighters and fire apparatus to ease staffing shortages and burnout
The option to request investigations had been removed from the site following NIOSH layoffs that have since been revoked
FEMA’s planned shift of disaster recovery duties comes as the Trump administration pushes to downsize federal operations, 17 days ahead of a hurricane season expected to bring above-average storm activity
Amid a whiplash of staffing changes, several NIOSH employees received a notice labeled “Recession of Previous Notice of Reduction in Force”
LAFD officials warn that cutting Emergency Incident Technician positions would endanger lives, stressing that the specialized firefighters do far more than drive chiefs
Prepare the next generation of fire service leaders for the challenges of fire department budgets and growth planning
FEMA’s new acting chief, a former Marine, warned staff not to resist upcoming changes and signaled a shift of more responsibility to states during a blunt first meeting
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told lawmakers her office is working to restore funding to the National Fire Academy, after classes were halted due to Trump Administration cuts
Beyond the widely publicized cuts to FEMA, the budget would eliminate two programs that help communities fund apparatus and stations
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