DHS Makes $648 Million Available to Help Firefighters and First Responders Nationwide

May 19, 2026

FEMA announced that the application periods for the Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants, and Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) grants are now open. These three funding opportunities provide $648 million to help firefighters and other first responders stay safe while protecting lives and communities nationwide. Through these grants, FEMA is empowering fire stations and other first responder organizations to get the equipment, staff, and support they need.

The funding opportunities span three separate grant programs:

• AFG – FEMA will award $291.6 million to fire departments and other emergency medical services agencies to acquire personal protective equipment and emergency response vehicles. They can also use the grants to fund health, wellness, and resiliency initiatives to prepare responders for incidents.
• SAFER – FEMA will award $324 million to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to pay salaries for firefighters or to train and recruit volunteer firefighters.
• FP&S – FEMA will award $32.4 million to fire departments, nonprofit organizations, and academic and other research-oriented institutions to fund research and clinical studies focused on community fire prevention and firefighter safety, health, and well-being.

Eligible applicants can review the full funding opportunities for all three programs on Grants.gov. Before applying, FEMA encourages applicants to review the various resources published on FEMA.gov to help develop strong applications.