Office of State Fire Marshall
TOPEKA – The application period for the FY2024 Kansas Firefighter Recruitment and Safety Grant is now open until the grant deadline of Sept. 15, 2023. The Office of the State Fire Marshal makes this $400,000 grant possible through its budget passed by the state legislature and signed by Governor Laura Kelly.
“This funding and implementation of the grant goes a long way in providing much needed equipment for our volunteer fire departments across the state,” Doug Jorgensen, state fire marshal, said.
“In many rural areas of our state, the smaller departments are the sole providers of fire and rescue response. So, it is vital that they have the proper safety gear and recruitment tools to ensure their community’s safety.”
Grants issued through the grant program will cover the costs of safety gear for volunteer and part-time firefighters. We know that volunteer and part-time fire departments face recruitment and retention challenges, because they do not have the funding to provide safety equipment. Without new equipment provided by the recruiting fire department, potential volunteers are faced with not only donating their time but also providing their own safety gear, sharing gear with others, or doing without.
Funding will also be available for junior firefighter programs and physicals not covered by the individual's insurance or reimbursed by their department, as well as for the purchase of strategically placed washer-extractor machines throughout the state. The funding for junior firefighter programs and physicals is available to all fire departments in Kansas, not just the volunteer/part-time departments.
Eligible applicants must be an established and recognized Kansas volunteer/part-time fire department in good standing with the state fire marshal's office on the National Fire Incident Reporting System. Departments must also participate in the Comprehensive Resource Management & Credentialing System.
Submission requirements and applications are now available at: KFRSG INFORMATION. The deadline for submission to receive funds through the Kansas Firefighter Recruitment and Safety Grant is Sept. 15, 2023.