Grant Funding for Firefighter Education and Leadership Skills

Firefighters operate at a residential structure fire in the Great Bridge neighborhood of Chesapeake, Virginia, on September 3, 2021. Photo courtesy Chesapeake (VA) Fire Department.

In many fire departments across the country, there is a strong push for an increase in educational requirements for firefighters who want to promote to officers or to different ranks of leadership such as senior or master firefighter, driver pump operator, or even different levels of fire marshal professionals. There is also a great need to recruit employees who either are paramedics or are willing to become paramedics—and then retain them! The common denominator for all of this training and education is its costs: it takes money and time. It costs money for the educational programs and money to backfill stations while employees go to school. Often, firefighters have to pay for the education out of pocket and take annual leave to get the education they need to advance in their careers. This is necessary because departmental funding is very limited. In volunteer fire departments, there may be no funding available at all for anything but the basic continuing education requirements.

In some departments, there is the belief that if you pay out of pocket, it makes the educational experience more meaningful—the personal sacrifice shows a higher level of commitment to public safety. Some people are able to make the sacrifice; however, many firefighters have financial and family obligations that make it almost impossible to finish an educational program without departmental support.

Where can firefighters and administrators go to find funds for educational programs that support formal training and leadership development? It is beneficial to be very openminded; tailor the search to your geographic area, the focus of the education, and the individual who is seeking the education.

Geographic Area

Fire and EMS departments in rural areas have an opportunity to receive funds for education and training from government programs specifically focused on improving community resources where there are not many firefighters and medical providers and the distances providers need to cover to provide services are large. Those of us in mid-size and larger urban departments may have a difficult time understanding the quantity of volunteer departments across the country that are struggling to keep even a bare minimum of staff trained and available for deployment on a daily basis. This is a huge issue in the fire service today. To help departments address these challenges, the U.S. Department of Agriculture¹ has a comprehensive list of funding resources for rural departments. It includes the normal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants and Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG); however, it also includes resources specifically focused on rural and community development.

RELATED

There may also be funding avenues for firefighter training, education, and equipment available for areas that have federally defined underserved populations. These areas could have communities that are geographically isolated or have a population with a low to moderate income base and are trying to establish new programs to address these issues with a community paramedicine program or through partnerships with other public and private stakeholders. Check out the funding resources available through Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services for specific opportunities that may be a good fit for your department.

Type of Education

It is important to do some research based on the exact type of education your fire department is looking to have funded. General searches will show the usual Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding sources, but might not bring up specific programs that could be useful. For example, if you have personnel to educate about arson investigation, the Department of Justice² offers programs and fellowships as well as travel scholarships. This type of educational opportunity may be unconventional, but it provides a wonderful opportunity for interested firefighters.

There are also opportunities available through the National Fire Academy (NFA)^3.There is no tuition for any of the courses the NFA offers. Many of them are multi-day and on-campus courses. There are a wide variety of topics from hazmat, fire and life safety, EMS leadership and management, health and safety program management, and executive skills. Students come from all over the country; there are even international students. It is important to follow the application process and make note of important deadlines to ensure admittance into the courses.

Individual Opportunities

There are members of fire departments all over the country who have spent time in the armed services prior to joining the fire department. Many of these firefighters are eligible to have their college or trade course tuition covered by using the GI Bill. It is a good resource to use if the firefighter wants to work on an associate’s or bachelor’s degree that could help them in a promotional process. Many departments also have some form of tuition reimbursement for college or certification courses. This can be helpful as well. However, it does not often pay for an entire degree program.

If a firefighter is interested in getting certified in EMS, some states give EMS scholarships directly to the student for enrolling in an approved EMT program through the paramedic level. These scholarships can cover most if not all the tuition and fees associated with the program. This is a terrific way for individuals to get certified whether they are in career or volunteer departments. Go to your state Office of EMS website to find out if those scholarships are available.

The fire service needs a wide variety of people with a wide variety of skills. Take the time to discover the professional development needs of firefighters individually so they can make the most of their time in the field and offer the best of themselves to the community and the department. Funding is available!

REFERENCES

Mandy George is a retired lieutenant in the Chesapeake (VA) Fire Department. She has a master’s degree in emergency and disaster management, a master’s degree in professional writing, and an associate’s degree in emergency medical services. She is also a Nationally Registered Paramedic (NRP) and a Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services (VAOEMS) Education Coordinator.