President’s FY 2015 Budget Request Proposes Cuts to Fire Service Programs

March 10, 2014

On March 4, President Obama submitted the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget for the United States Government to Congress. The President’s budget proposal would reduce funding for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER)  grant programs by $5 million each, to $335 million from $340 million in FY 2014. The President is also requesting $41.4 million for the United State Fire Administration (USFA), which would represent a reduction of $2.6 million or 5.9 percent. AFG, SAFER, and USFA are all part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Homeland Security.

The President’s budget includes $13 million for the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) program, which is funded through the U.S. Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture. VFA provides funding to the states to distribute to local volunteer fire departments to prepare for wildland fire response. VFA was funded at $13.025 million in FY 2014.

“The President’s budget request is the first step in the appropriations process,” said National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. “The NVFC will work closely with Congress to ensure that adequate support is provided to critical fire and emergency services programs and agencies.”

The entire FY 2015 Budget for the United States Government can be downloaded at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb. Detailed budget estimates by agency can be accessed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Appendix.