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IAFF LEGISLATIVE FACT SHEET
FIRE / SAFER Reauthorization
The IAFF supports legislation reauthorizing and
improving the FIRE and SAFER grant programs to assure that federal
assistance is used more effectively to protect the public safety,
and to distribute grants more equitably among fire departments.
BACKGROUND
Since 2001, the
Assistance to Fire Fighters (FIRE) Grant program has aided thousands
of fire departments nationwide by providing more than four billion
dollars in federal aid for critically-needed training, equipment,
health and wellness programs and other fire service needs. Yet,
despite the program’s overwhelming success, its effectiveness has
been curtailed by the uneven distribution of grants among
jurisdictions of varying sizes. Statutory restrictions inadvertently
hamper larger fire departments that protect the majority of the
population from receiving much-needed federal assistance. As a
result, the majority of funds under FIRE are currently being spent
to protect a relatively small portion of the population.
FIRE’s sister program, the
Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program, while
crucial to increasing the number of fire fighters nationwide, also faces a
number of significant restrictions under the law that threaten the program’s
mission. Specifically, the SAFER Act contains a number of administrative
restrictions that have complicated the ability of many jurisdictions to apply
for and maintain a grant, and prevented many jurisdictions from seeking a grant
at all. These difficulties have only been exacerbated by the current economic
crisis.
Both FIRE and SAFER are due to
be reauthorized in the current Congress. To address the current deficiencies,
the IAFF has proposed a series of amendments to the programs as part of the
reauthorization.
CURRENT LEGISLATION
House:
H.R. 3791, the Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009
Sponsor: Representative Harry Mitchell (D-AZ)
Summary: H.R. 3791
reauthorizes and makes improvements to the FIRE and SAFER grant
programs. Amendments to
FIRE include guaranteeing professional fire
departments
a minimum percentage of funding, increasing the amount of funding for which
larger
departments may apply and reducing the local match from 20% to 10%. The
bill
also simplifies the rules surrounding SAFER by shortening the grant period from
five
to
three years, implementing an across-the-board 20% local match and
eliminating the current funding cap.
Cosponsors H.R. 3791
CONGRESSIONAL ACTION
The
House of Representatives and the Senate are expected to consider
legislation to reauthorize the FIRE and SAFER grant programs in the
111th Congress.
On July 8, 2009, the House Subcommittee on Technology and
Innovation held a hearing on reauthorizing the FIRE and SAFER grant programs.
Read More...
On October 13, 2009, H.R. 3791 was introduced in the U.S.
House of Representatives and referred to the Committee on Science and
Technology.
On October 14, 2009, the House Subcommittee on Technology
and Innovation approved H.R. 3791 with an amendment by voice vote.
On October 21, 2009, the House Committee on Science and
Technology approved H.R. 3791 with an amendment by voice vote.
On November 18, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives
adopted H.R. 1499, the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act, as an amendment to
H.R. 3791 by a vote of 358-75. Learn more about
the Firefighter Fatality Reduction Act.
On November 18, 2009, the U.S. House of Representatives
approved H.R. 3791 by a vote of 395-31.
Read More...
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