Fire Grants Reauthorization Introduced in the Senate

First Responder Grants and Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI)

Did you know that popular fire grants such as AFG and SAFER are only authorized through the end of the current fiscal year? And, to make matters worse, the current statute’s “sunset” provision will end the programs on Jan. 2, 2018… unless Congress does something about it?

As reported by CFSI, on Apr. 5, Senator John McCain (AZ), Senator Jon Tester (MT), Senator Susan Collins (ME), and Senator Tom Carper (DE) introduced S. 829. This legislation reauthorizes the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant programs.

The current Senate legislation will continue these programs and extend them until 2023.

How can departments like yours take action?

You can save AFG and SAFER! Contact your senators in favor of doing away with the “sunset” requirement and extending the program till 2023.

Use this handy tool from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to tell your senators to support AFG and SAFER.

The tool helps you select your senators based on address. From there you can send a pre-drafted letter about AFG and SAFER continuation:

Tell Your Senators to Support AFG/SAFER Reauthorization

Thank you to our friend Michael Penzotti at Grantmasters Inc. for sharing the link.