Volunteer Fire Assistance Program
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON
INTERIOR AND RELATED AGENCIES
REGARDING
THE VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
APRIL 13, 1999
BY
ALAN KIGHTLINGER
NATIONAL VOLUNTEER FIRE COUNCIL
NEVADA DIRECTOR
Mr. Chairman, Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for permitting me to testify today. My name is Alan Kightlinger. I am the Nevada Director for the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and Deputy Chief of the Elko Fire Department in Elko Nevada. I have previously served as a rural volunteer firefighter and I worked for 27 years in Fire Management with the Nevada Division of Forestry. I have come to speak to you today about the Volunteer Fire Assistance program. This program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service in conjunction with State Foresters, is essential to the health and safety of rural volunteer fire departments across the nation. On behalf of the National Volunteer Fire Council, I request that this program be funded at $10 million for FY 2000.
The NVFC represents the interests America's 800,000 volunteer firefighters. In addition to the obvious contribution that volunteer firefighters lend to their communities, these men and women represent a significant cost saving to taxpayers. A 1991 study commissioned by the National Institute of Standards and Technology concluded that it would cost taxpayers $36.8 billion each year to convert volunteer firefighter positions to paid firefighter positions. These volunteers comprise almost 80 percent of our nation's fire service and often represent the first line of defense in coping with rural emergencies, including natural and man-made disasters as well as wildland and rural/urban interface fires. Many of these emergencies occur on federal properties such as national parks and lands. "Fire Protection in Rural America: A Challenge for the Future", a study commissioned by the U.S. Congress, stated that the federal government needs to work as partners with local emergency response departments to ensure that firefighters are adequately equipped to fight these fires.
The Volunteer Fire Assistance program is a unique federal program that is designed to assist rural communities establish new fire departments and upgrade the fire suppression capabilities of existing departments. Volunteer Fire Assistance offers opportunities to improve volunteer firefighter training, equipment, and organizational structure. The program is aimed at the nearly 28,000 rural fire departments that protect communities with populations under 10,000. Roughly 90 percent of the nation's rural cities and towns are eligible to receive Volunteer Fire Assistance. Additionally, this program is one of the most cost efficient programs administered by the Federal government. Grants provided to fire departments must be matched on a 50-50 basis and nearly all funds go directly to local fire protection agencies. No overhead funds are taken out at the Federal level and very little is permitted at the state level.
Rural volunteer fire departments use Volunteer Fire Assistance funding for many projects. A county in Minnesota was given funding for a pager communication project that improved fire responses by coordinating with 911 to more effectively notify volunteers of emergency situations. In Missouri alone, out of 857 fire departments, one-third owe their existence to the Volunteer Fire Assistance program. Fire departments have used Volunteer Fire Assistance funding to upgrade water delivery capability, improve training, improve radio communications systems, and purchase personal protective equipment. In turn, these funds have led to increased benefits for rural communities, including reduced insurance costs, reduced response time to emergencies, and better protected Federal and private lands.
While the benefits of the VFA program are great, there are still thousands of rural volunteer fire departments that are not adequately equipped or trained to protect themselves. The National Fire Protection Association estimates that nearly one-fourth of all firefighter deaths at the actual site of a fire occurred at uncontrolled wildland fires-and all of those who died were volunteer firefighters. One set of personal protective equipment cost approximately $1200. This excludes self-contained breathing apparatus, which can cost more than $2600. Nearly half of the rural volunteer fire departments in America do not have protective clothing for wildfires. Additionally, 80 percent of these fire departments do not have hazardous material response equipment and clothing. Volunteer firefighters are generous members of our society who risk personal safety for the public good. We should do as much as possible to help ensure their health and safety while fighting fires. While the Volunteer Fire Assistance program provides invaluable aid to volunteer fire departments, more funding is needed to address the critical shortages that these departments and firefighters face everyday.
Unfortunately, in recent years, funding for the Volunteer Fire Assistance program has dropped frequently, with appropriations for the last two fiscal years at only $2 million. This program receives annual average requests of more than $24 million. For FY 1997, the latest year for which statistics are available, 4,468 rural volunteer fire departments applied for grants, but only 1,777 actually received some form of funding. Most fire departments that are lucky enough to receive funding do not receive their full request. For example, in your home state of Ohio Mr. Chairman, 401 fire departments applied for $2,505,963 in funding, but only 11 departments received grants totaling $38,390.
The volunteer fire service represents a national resource of enormous value that must be supported and nurtured if it is to continue to fulfill its critical role in emergency services response. This committee and Congress can do its part by supporting a funding increase. The "Federal Fire Policy" is downsizing federal sources and relying on local resources for quicker and more successful initial attack. While the VFA program provides invaluable aid to volunteer fire departments, more funding is needed to address the critical shortages that these departments and firefighters face each day.
The Nation's volunteer firefighters are the front line of defense in rural communities. Federal Volunteer Fire Assistance funds are wisely invested in these rural fire departments. Fires that are kept small are less expensive to extinguish and do much less damage. When rural wildfires are extinguished before they spread, adjacent lands are saved from the ravages of destruction. And, when this job is accomplished by properly trained and equipped firefighters, the benefits of Volunteer Fire Assistance take on a positive human saving also. Your investment in the services of these rural fire departments ultimately protects federal and private lands from fire losses and human tragedies.
When I began my testimony today, I stated that the volunteer fire service is in need of your assistance and that you, as Members of Congress, could make a difference with the necessary funding. I hope that I have painted a picture that illustrates that the need is real, that the monies do go a long way, that local communities match each dollar with one of theirs, and that the support of the volunteer fire service by Congress is indeed a national concern.
The National Volunteer Fire Council encourages Congress to recognize the integral part this program plays in the efforts to protect our nation. The NVFC believes that the Volunteer Fire Assistance program should be funded at $10 million for FY 2000 and we request that this subcommittee support this appropriation. Thank you for allowing me to testify on this important matter.
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