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.
Haverhill city councilors unanimously approved increasing the civil service age cap to expand the hiring pool and address staffing shortages
Mayor Bibb unveils firefighter contract with 12% raise in 2025, plus 3% annual hikes to boost recruitment and retention
From ‘Reinventing Government’ to DOGE: Here’s what the longstanding deficit fight means for your agency — and how to respond
Herrin officials, firefighters and residents gathered for a ribbon-cutting and open house at Herrin’s modern fire station, which replaces a 50-year-old facility
The Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service announced a new year-round mental health program for wildland firefighters and dispatchers
California lawmakers have introduced a bill to ban PFAS from firefighter turnout gear by 2027, citing cancer risks and the lasting environmental impact of the so-called “forever chemicals”
President Donald Trump has directed the creation of a single wildland firefighting program, shifting thousands from the U.S. Forest Service to a new agency
Funding gaps, rising costs and blocked attempts to exit urban renewal districts have left Ada County first responders struggling to meet response-time goals
The plan includes expanding timber harvesting, integrating federal firefighting forces and boosting local emergency authority
President Donald Trump said the federal government will begin shifting disaster funding and responsibilities to state governors after this hurricane season
Four Oakland councilmembers went through the proposed budget and found funding keeping the city from having to “brown out” firehouses on a rotating schedule
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Public safety leaders warn that the House-passed bill lacks critical support for upgrading outdated 911 systems, calling the omission a threat to emergency response and community safety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
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
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