CVVFA Learns about Vital Fire Service Bills Pending in Congress

EDGEWOOD, MD – A number of legislative issues important to the nation’s responders are pending in Congress, and it’s important that law makers understand that.

Members of the Cumberland Valley Vol. Firemen’s Association (CVVFA) heard that message Friday during their annual convention.

“Keeping our members informed of what’s going on in Washington is very important. That’s why we always have our CFSI, NVFC and IAFC legislative representatives give us an update,” explained Steve Austin, CVVFA past president.

At the present time, it appears Fire Act and SAFER grant programs will be funded at $345 each, the same as during the last fiscal year, according to Sean Carroll, CFSI director of government affairs. 

The bill, passed by the House last month, also includes $44M for the U.S. Fire Administration. Of that, $1.5M is earmarked for infrastructure improvements at the National Fire Academy in Emmitsburg, MD.

The Urban Search and Rescue program is set to get $$36.2M, an increase of $1.1M.

The final ’17 budget won’t be approved until the fall.

Carroll told the group it’s important for them to contact their local representatives, and share why funding the programs is so vital.

Another important measure pending establishes a National Firefighter Cancer Registry.

Introduced earlier this spring in both the House and Senate, the legislation was referred to committees for further review, according to Dave Finger, NVFC chief of legislative and regulatory affairs. 

Studies have linked firefighters and cancer, but there’s a lack of data about how widespread the issue is.

“…These studies are limited in scope, and focus on city populations mainly served by career firefighters,” Finger noted, adding that volunteers make up 69 percent of the fire service.

Minorities and women also are unrepresented in cancer-related studies.

It’s proposed that the registry would be managed by the CDC.

Other pending issues before Congress include the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act that would create a tax break for property owners to retrofit existing buildings with automatic sprinkler systems. It would allow small and medium-sized business owners to deduct up to $125,000 of the cost. The measure has been referred to the appropriate committees for further study.

The House also recently voted to increase Volunteer Fire Assistance Funding by $2M. If approved by the Senate, there would be $15M allocated for the program.

Through state forest services, volunteer departments serving 10,000 or fewer residents are eligible for grants to help them prepare for wildland fires.

“Last year, VFA assisted 9,317 communities, provided training to 22,272 firefighters and facilitated the purchase, rehabilitation and maintenance of $8.1M in equipment,” Finger told the group.

CVVFA members also were asked to lobby for continued funding for training first responders to deal with incidents involving rail shipments of crude oil and other flammables.

The IAFC received $2.6M in grants to establish the training, and there’s a measure pending to extend the program.

Austin urged CVVFA representatives to share the information on the proposed bills with colleagues in their states.

It’s everyone’s responsibility to educate politicians about what the fire service does for the community, he added.