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The Texas Forest Service Grant Programs

HB 2604 Firefighting vehicles, equipment and training  -  The Texas Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program is a cost-share program funded by the Texas State Legislature by HB2604.  It provides funding to rural volunteer fire departments for the acquisition of firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, county fire radio system components, dry-hydrants, computer systems, and firefighter training. Approximately $13,950,000 is distributed annually under the program.  Any chartered, non-profit volunteer fire department operated by its members is eligible. Any part-paid/part-volunteer fire department is also eligible provided the number of paid members is 20 or less.  This program is administered by the Texas Forest Service at www.tamu.edu/ticc/firedepartment.htm.


HB3667 Workers' Compensation and Accident & Sickness coverage  -  The Texas Rural Volunteer Fire Department Insurance Program is a grant program funded by the Texas State Legislature by HB3667.  It provides funding to rural volunteer fire departments for the purchase of Workers’ Compensation and/or Accident & Sickness coverage.  To be eligible, fire departments must participate in a firefighter certification program administered under Section 419.071 of the Texas Government Code (Texas Commission on Fire Protection), or by the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, or by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.  This program is administered by the Texas Forest Service at www.tamu.edu/ticc/firedepartment.htm.

Texas Commission on Fire Protection Grants

The Texas Commission on Fire Protection administers the Fire Department Emergency Program to make grants and low interest loans to Texas fire departments with critical equipment needs. There will be approximately $1 million available to fire departments through the program in fiscal year 2005.  For information on eligibility and an application, click here.  (www.tcfp.state.tx.us/funding/funding.asp)

The Office of Rural Community Affairs

The Office of Rural Community Affairs (Office) administers the Rural Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Enhancement Grant Program. This program is created to support the development and improvement of rural EMS response, delivery and service capacity. (Click here for more info)

Homeland Security Grant Programs

Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) - The primary goal of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders to obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources needed to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards. The Office of Grants and Training in the Department of Homeland Security administers the grants in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration. For fiscal year 2005, Congress reauthorized the Assistance to Firefighters Grants for an additional 5 years through 2010.  For more information, click here.  (www.firegrantsupport.com/afg/)


Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) - The purpose of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants is to help fire departments increase the number of frontline firefighters. The goal is for fire departments to increase their staffing and deployment capabilities and ultimately attain 24-hour staffing, thus assuring that their communities have adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The SAFER grants support two specific activities: (1) the hiring of firefighters, and (2) recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. The hiring of firefighters activity provides grants to pay for part of the salaries of newly hired firefighters over the 5-year program. SAFER is part of the Assistance to Firefighters Grants and is under the purview of the Office of Grants and Training of the Department of Homeland Security.  For more information, click here. (www.firegrantsupport.com/safer/).

Texas Department of State Health Services

The Texas Department of State Health Services administers the Local Projects Grant Program.  Eligible applicants include licensed EMS providers, registered first responder organizations, Regional EMS/Trauma Advisory Councils (RACs), EMS education organizations, and pre-hospital injury prevention organizations. For more information, click here. (www.tdh.texas.gov/hcqs/ems/FY07LocalProjectsGrantProgram.htm)