Rural Fire Department Resources for Local Officials

Planning Resources

• Mitigation of the Rural Fire Problem – Strategies Based on Original Research and Adaptation of Existing Best Practices - New 2008
• Developing Effective Standard Operating Procedures for Fire & EMS Departments pdf file
• Dry Fire Hydrants Helping Counter Rural Wildfires pdf file
• Fire Research and Management Exchange System Online
• Hazardous Materials Response Technology Assessment pdf file
• National Fire Protection Association Home Page
• National Volunteer Fire Council
  • State Associations
• Personal Alert Safety Systems (PASS) Research pdf file
• Rural Fire Prevention Checklist
• Water Supply Standard Operating Procedures (MS Word 1.37MB)
• United States Fire Administration

Funding and Program Assistance

There are different forms of funding programs available to rural fire departments including grants, loans, donations, and reimbursements. Consult grant writing resources for assistance in preparing successful proposals and in obtaining funding applications and information for obtaining a DUNS number that is required of all organizations/entities applying for a federal grant or cooperation agreement.

Guides to Federal Programs

• Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance:
  • Emergency Preparedness, Civil Relief
  • Fire Protection
• United States Fire Administration, Federal Assistance Programs
  • Funding Alternatives for Fire and Emergency Services, pdf
• Federal Government Funding Fact Sheet - NVFC list of major programs with web links.

U.S. Department of Agriculture

• Forest Service
  • Healthy Forests and Rangelands A joint program with the USDA, Forest Service, U.S. Department of Interior and the National Association of State Foresters for wildland fire issues. National Fire Plan projects included.
  • Federal Excess Personal Property Program - Federal personal property that was originally purchased for use by a Federal agency and acquired by the USDA Forest Service for loan to one of the 50 States or 6 Territories for use in the State's rural or wildland fire protection program.
  • Volunteer Fire Assistance Program This program provides Federal financial, technical, and other assistance to State foresters to train, and equip fire departments in rural areas and rural communities of 10,000 or less population. The funding must be matched on a 50-50% basis by non-federal dollars or in-kind.
  • State Managers for Federal Excess Personal Property and Volunteer Fire Assistance Programs
• Rural Development, Rural Housing Service
  • Community Facilities Loans and Grants Program CFDA(10.766)offer loans and grants to construct, enlarge, extend, or otherwise improve community facilities providing essential services to rural residents for projects that will enhance public safety such as fire stations, fire trucks, and rescue vehicles.
    • State Rural Development Offices

U.S. Department of Energy

• Fire Protection Program This program includes published fire safety directives (Orders, standards, and guidance documents), a range of oversight activities, an annual fire protection program summary, and a directory of fire safety professionals. DOE also sponsors fire safety conferences, various training initiatives, and a spectrum of technical assistance activities.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

• Assistance to Firefighters Grant CFDA(97.044) provides direct assistance to fire departments of a State or tribal nation.
• Reimbursement for Firefighting on Federal Property (97.016) provides that each fire service organization which engages in firefighting operations on Federal property may be reimbursed for their direct expenses and direct losses.
• State Fire Training Systems Grants Provides financial assistance to State Fire Training Systems for the delivery of National Fire Academy courses/programs.
• The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) is a cooperative asset-sharing program among Federal government agencies, state and local governments, and the private businesses and civilian volunteers to ensure resources are available to provide medical services following a disaster that overwhelms the local health care resources.
• FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grants "support projects that enhance the safety of the public and firefighters from fire and related hazards. The primary goal is to target high-risk populations and mitigate high incidences of death and injury."

U.S. Department of Interior

• Healthy Forests and Rangelands An interagency program with the USDA, Forest Service, U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Association of State Foresters for wildland fire issues. Includes National Fire Plan projects.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs The Indian Community Fire Protection Program provides funds to perform fire protection services to Indian Tribal Governments that do not receive fire protection support from State or local government. Call (202) 208-3710

U.S. Department of Justice

• Emergency Responder Chemical and Biological Equipment Guides and Database

U.S. Department of Transportation

• Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Grant (HMEP) The HMEP grant program is intended to provide financial and technical assistance as well as national direction and guidance to enhance State, Territorial, Tribal, and local hazardous materials emergency planning and training

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

• Local Governments Reimbursement Program This program provides Federal funds to local governments for costs related to temporary emergency measures conducted in response to releases or threatened releases of hazardous substances.

U.S. General Service Administration

• Federal Surplus Property Program - GSA transfers Federal surplus personal property to State agencies for surplus property. They in turn can distribute this surplus property to public agencies (such as local-level governmental agencies) which could include fire departments.
  • State Agencies for Surplus Property

U.S. Housing and Urban Development

• Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG Program) ICDBG offers block grants to Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to improve their communities including building or improving fire stations.
• Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) These offices distribute ICDBG funds
• State Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program CDBG funds provide eligible communities with annual direct grants that they can use for community projects, including fire and life safety protection.
  • State CDBG Contacts

Private Funding Programs

• The GSK/TUMS-First Responder Institute Challenge Grant Program - for Firefighting equipment

Training Resources

Staff training is an important part of all fire department programs. There are many sources of information and training available to the rural fire department, including libraries, networks, courses, and more. Below are links to get started in or enhance a training program.

Financial Assistance

• National Fire Academy Training Assistance (97.018) covers reimbursement for the cost of transportation and a limited stipend for selected regional delivery courses throughout the nation.
• Hazardous Materials Training Program (97.020) provides funding for training in support of Tribal governments emergency planning, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recover capabilities.  These programs much provide special emphasis on emergencies associated with hazardous chemicals.
• State and Local Domestic Preparedness Training Program (97.005) enhances the capacity of State and local first responders to respond to a Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) terrorism incident involving chemical, biological, nuclear, radiological, incendiary, and explosive devices.

Information Resources

• Critical Infrastructure Protection Information Center The primary activity of the CIPIC is to disseminate information to bolster the infrastructure protection efforts of emergency first responders throughout the nation. This includes preparing CIP instructional materials for use in education and training settings.
• USFA Learning Resource Center (LRC) The LRC provides current information and resources on fire and emergency management subjects and supports student and faculty research and supplements classroom lectures and course materials.

Statistics and Data Resources

• Fire Resources at NIST
• National Fire Data Center

Additional Resources

• RIC's Emergency Medical Services Page
• Congressional Fire Services Institute
• The Firehouse Network
• Fire Safety Resources U.S. Department of Labor
• Firewise
• Firewise Communities

Publications

• Answering the Call - Recruitment and Retention of Pennsylvania Firefighters .pdf
• Emergency Medical Services - Blogs and Podcasts
• National Fire & Rescue Magazine
• Protecting Emergency Responders: Lessons Learned from Terrorist Attacks
• Protecting Emergency Responders, Volume 2: Community Views of Safety and Health Risks and Personal Protection Needs
• Rural Communities and Emergency Preparedness
• USDA Forest Service-Fire Management Today
• USFA Publications