We hope you, your family, and friends have a happy holiday season filled with joy and meaning!

As the year ends, we think about all the things for which we are grateful. Our relationship with you is one thing we treasure.

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you and best wishes for a prosperous new year!

Please let us know how we can be of service to you or your organization in the coming year.


Our holiday hours are:

Dec. 24th (CLOSED)
Dec. 25th (CLOSED)
Jan. 1st (CLOSED)

The 2015 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Application Period opened on December 7th and will close January 15th.
 
The three main categories include: 1) operations and safety; 2) regional projects; and 3) vehicle acquisition. FEMA's goal is to award 2,500 grants totaling $306M. 
 
Officials urge fire departments that are looking to apply for this round of funding to read the Notice of Funding Opportunity, which outlines all criteria and serves as a worksheet for grant project management. The PDF copy is available here: http://www.fema.gov/media-library-data/1448980691064-3761c274d7e1993ad2d220aa8c4e4373/FY15_AFG_NOFO_11_30_15.pdf.
 
FEMA has also created a resource page for the 2015 AFT grants program, available here:http://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/110252.
 
Additional details can be found online at: https://www.fema.gov/welcome-assistance-firefighters-grant-program
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2016 HB 3667 Grant: Workers' Compensation, Death, and/or Disability coverage - The 77th Texas Legislature (HB3667) created the Rural VFD Insurance Program and is funded by a 2% sales tax on the sale of fireworks. The program provides reimbursement grants for Texas firefighters to obtain workers compensation, death and disability insurance from private insurance companies. Each year more than 400 fire departments and 11,000 firefighters take advantage of the grant offering.

Who is eligible?
Any chartered, non-profit volunteer or part-paid/volunteer fire department is eligible, provided the number of paid members is 20 or less. All qualified 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 Marshal’s Association of Texas (SFFMA), or by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG).

What is eligible?
Any combination of compensation insurance for firefighters (workers' compensation, death, and/or disability insurance) is eligible. The insurance coverage must include a workers' compensation or similar benefit, and a death benefit. Departments may enter into agreements with cities or counties in order to qualify for coverage and/or special premiums.

How much will it pay...
The program will reimburse 100% of the actual cost of eligible insurance coverage, up to a maximum of $125.00 per fire department member covered in the calendar year 2016.

• Historical Funding Summaries

How to apply...
It's easy, simply read the Application Procedure, complete the following forms and submit via fax, email or mail. Please submit these forms only once during the enrollment period of Dec. 1, 2015 thru Aug. 31, 2016. 

• Application Procedure
• Rural Volunteer Fire Department Insurance Program (HB 3667) Application for Grant Assistance (TFS-FO-408)
• Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification (W-9)
• 2016 Fire Department Roster
• Copy of Payroll Classification Schedule Page 1 and 2, or payment receipt for a Workers' Compensation Insurance Policy, or Death Insurance Policy, or Disability Insurance Policy

    
Fax: (979) 845-6160
Call: (979) 458-6505
Email: [email protected]

Mail:  
Texas A&M Forest Service
Capacity Building Department
200 Technology Way, Suite 1162
College Station, TX  77845-3424

More Information
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