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.
Tulsa City Council has approved a plan allowing the fire department to charge insurance companies of at-fault drivers $710 to $1,865 per response
Chronic understaffing left only one engine available when a massive fire destroyed two Amherst apartment buildings, causing heavy reliance on mutual aid
Just three months in, Wagener’s chief and assistant chief quit after citing a plunge in tax revenue, unsafe equipment and no-shows from town leaders
Engine 9’s launch marks a major expansion for the Santa Rosa Fire Department as calls surge and plans advance for a new station to better serve growing neighborhoods
Midland, Saginaw and Bay City fire departments will replace 120 SCBA units, with new expected in service by summer 2026
Months after a crash destroyed its tanker, Boones Mill firefighters say a county loaner is inadequate and push for a $1.01M custom replacement
The city unveiled 10 engines, 13 ambulances and 6 command vehicles to sustain fast response times and replace aging rigs
The Finance Committee advanced an $8M payout in the ambulance restraint death and $7.5M to the family of pastors killed during a police chase
The Highland Fire Protection District used an Assistance to Firefighters Grant to buy 33 sets of turnout gear, 10 sets of EMS gear, new helmets, boots and gloves, plus extrication and wildland equipment
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Bill boosts prison firefighter wages from about $1 to the federal minimum, while the sheriffs’ association objects to costs and notes existing sentence credits
Grants can provide essential funding without needing to drastically increase local taxes or wreak havoc within your budget
The grant for Flint funds sign-on and retention bonuses, performance incentives, and leadership and training programs to boost morale, readiness and public trust
A proposal would require four-person crews, though the department says coverage is adequate and meeting the standard could mean overtime
A Saline City Council vote launches planning, legal review and public outreach to form a multi-jurisdiction fire authority targeting faster response, clearer governance and fairer cost sharing
Doyle Fire District thanked Cheektowaga officials and Rep. Tim Kennedy for a $240,000 grant that funded an EV fire-suppression system
What fire leaders need to know now
Bismarck Rural Fire Department’s new 9,000-sq-ft facility houses three apparatus with room to expand and features a kitchen, laundry, offices, gym and bunk rooms
Governor Newsom vetoed the bill, citing collective bargaining and cost, while the union says parity is key to recruitment
A $150K grant will help fund the replacement of two repurposed Auburn Fire Department command vehicles
After weeks of training, Rocky Mount firefighters will place two Pierce Enforcers in service
Funding is on hold until states certify population data minus those deported under U.S. immigration laws
Despite long-standing scrutiny, FEMA has delivered transformative support to the fire service through programs like NFA, AFG, US&R and NERIS
The new Derry firehouse design adds modern communications, decon and training space to speed response in the southwest area
Fire-focused federal programs face closures, furloughs and funding gaps as essential disaster response continues
Highlighted by the PWW Advisory Group, the South Dakota Ambulance Association-backed series details funding woes, long response times
The U.S. Forest Service is delaying prevention grants, while FEMA and the National Weather Service trim services and warn of funding gaps
FEMA funding will cover two-thirds of salaries and benefits for three years, after which Muskegon officials will keep the positions to bolster long-term public safety
Contingency plans from the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management outline which fire operations will continue during funding lapse
Grand Rapids’ first new firehouse in nearly 40 years will serve 14,000 southeast-side residents, ease the load on the busiest station and help crews hit their arrival goal
Democrats blocked a GOP short-term bill, demanding reversal of Medicaid cuts and an extension of ACA premium tax credits, while Republicans rejected the trillion-dollar price tag
An OMB memo directs departments to plan “reductions in force” for lapsed-funded programs, going beyond past furloughs by eliminating positions
Fullerton’s mayor says consolidation has pushed prices to $1.2M, stretched delivery to four years, and forced older engines past NFPA lifespans
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