The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) have announced that 245 volunteer fire departments across the state will receive grants totaling $10 million in 2025. These funds come from the Volunteer Firefighter Equipment and Training Grant Program, a legislative initiative overseen by Governor Bill Lee and approved by the Tennessee General Assembly. The program’s aim is to provide financial support to volunteer fire departments for purchasing firefighting equipment or meeting local matching requirements for federal equipment grants.
Since its inception in 2020, the program has allocated $26.5 million in grants to volunteer fire departments across Tennessee’s three Grand Divisions. The list of departments set to receive grants in 2025 can be accessed through this link.
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TDCI Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Carter Lawrence expressed the state’s commitment to supporting fire departments, emphasizing the importance of keeping firefighters safe. He stated, “Governor Lee and the General Assembly are committed to helping departments get the funding they need to help keep their firefighters safe.”
Volunteer fire departments play a vital role in fire safety, with over 73% of Tennessee’s fire departments staffed entirely by volunteers. Of the 21,075 active firefighters in the state, approximately 12,460 are volunteers, which constitutes more than 59%.
Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Mike Bell highlighted the significance of equipping volunteer departments adequately, describing them as the backbone of community fire protection. He encouraged departments to reach out with any questions regarding the grant program or other support services offered by the SFMO.
During the application period from November 1 to November 27, 2024, the SFMO received 325 applications from fire departments throughout Tennessee. These applications were carefully reviewed and scored before being submitted to a seven-member committee for the final selection of awardees.
Source: Read Original Release
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