Page 25 - InCommand Volume 36

• Fire Station Construction Grants: In 2019, the National Fire Protection Association reported that 43 percent of surveyed fire stations are more than
40 years old. It also found that 59 percent of the surveyed fire stations are not equipped with cancer- preventing exhaust emissions control systems. To address this issue, the IAFC, OFCA and other major fire service organizations are asking Congress to resurrect FEMA’s 2009 Fire Station Construction grant program with a few revisions. The grant program would allocate $1 billion for the renovation, rebuilding and construction of fire and EMS stations using a peer-review process. Each award would be limited to $7.5 million.
The $1 billion in grant funding would be allocated as follows:
• 25% would be for career fire and EMS
departments;
• 25% would be for combination fire and EMS
departments;
• 25% would be for volunteer fire and EMS
departments; and
• 25% allocated for open competition between the
various department types.
Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) has introduced H.R. 3728 to gain support for the fire station construction grant program. His bill has 22 cosponsors, but - as yet – none from Ohio.
• Next Generation (NG) 9-1-1 Funding: The IAFC, the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association, and several national law enforcement organizations are asking Congress to allocate $15 billion for a nationwide deployment of NG 9-1-1 technology. NG 9-1-1 would allow public safety answering points (PSAP) to receive 9-1-1 calls and texts, along with video, location information about the caller and other information. This multimedia information then could be relayed to the first responders on scene. Besides technology, the bill would pay for training for the PSAP staff to help them respond to these
multimedia requests for help and sort through everything to get actionable information to the
fire, EMS, and law enforcement personnel in the field. This legislation also would create improved cybersecurity at the nation’s PSAPs and ensure end-to-end interoperability in the nation’s NG 9-1-1 system.
Representative Frank Pallone (D-NJ) introduced NG 9-1-1 legislation as part of his LIFT America Act (H.R. 1848). The bill has 34 cosponsors, but none from Ohio. We are working to include the NG 9-1-1 legislation in the reconciliation bill.
• Funding for Retrofitting Public Housing with Fire Sprinklers: The IAFC, other major fire service organization, and fire safety organizations also are asking Congress to allocate $350 million for grants to retrofit public housing with fire sprinklers. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that there are approximately 570,000 multi-family public housing units that lack fire sprinklers. The department estimates that it would cost $5 billion to make these upgrades.
Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) and Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) introduced the Public Housing Fire Safety Act (S. 265/H.R. 2638). This legislation would authorize a $25 million
grant program each year from FY 2022 to FY
2031 for public housing agencies to retrofit their buildings with sprinklers. S. 265 has one cosponsor and H.R. 2638 has 13 cosponsors. However, the Ohio delegation has yet to cosponsor these bills. The IAFC supports this legislation and is working to include $350 million for this purpose in the reconciliation bill.
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021 • www.ohiofirechiefs.org I n C o m m a n d 25