House appropriates $4 million for Volunteer Fire Assistance program
The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, on June 29, approved $4 million in funding for the Volunteer Fire Assistance program for Fiscal Year (FY) 2000. Fire service organizations and other supporters had recommended $10 million.
The Senate Appropriations Committee has appropriated $2.501 million for the program in FY 2000. The difference will have to be negotiated in a conference committee meeting. The program was funded at $2 million for FY1999; more than $24 million dollars in grants had been requested by fire departments during that same period.
This federal grant program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, would provide grants to rural fire departments with populations under 10,000 to subsidize training, equipment, and protective clothing.
