Reflecting on fire grants and Chief Gaines

Recently, the American fire service lost one the leading influences behind SAFER, AFG, and the FP&S grant programs. Deputy U.S. Fire Administrator Glenn Gaines died April 12 while mowing his lawn. He was 72.

Chief Gaines was a decorated, leading figure in the fire service. The 35-year veteran was appointed to USFA in 2009 and oversaw the agency's programs and training at the National Emergency Training Center.

Chief Gaines served with the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for the Department of Homeland Security from its inception in 2001 until 2009. He was a principal architect and member of the senior staff for three of the primary grants managed by FEMA's Grants Program Office, and was the agency's lead in developing the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program in 2005.

My mother always referred to an old quote that said, "Never forget where you came from, how you got where you are, and who helped you get there."

A world before grants
This is a very appropriate time to do some soul searching and remember what it was like before there was designated financial assistance for the fire service. Yes, it is hard for some younger firefighters to imagine, but prior to 2000 the fire service did not have a designated grant program to fund equipment, personnel, apparatus or training.

Congress established the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control Congress to study the escalating loss of life and property due to fire in the United States. In 1973, the commission compiled the report, "America Burning."

This report made 90 recommendations to Congress. Many of them, such as the establishment of USFA and the National Fire Academy, were enacted.

Others, like recommendation 11 which stated, "Federal grants for equipment and training be available only to those jurisdictions that operate from a federally approved master plan" took almost three decades to happen — 1973 was a different time and place than today.

Society wasn't as mobile and the only international villains in America at that time could be found on the silver screen if you went to watch the James Bond thriller, "Live and Let Die."

All problems are local
Even with the commission report, the common belief was that funding for fire departments was a local government issue and had no business in the federal budget. The American economy was robust and a new front line engine only cost your department about $40,000.

Over the next two and a half decades the cost of properly equipping and staffing a local fire department skyrocketed. At the same time, many local municipal governments saw their tax base evaporating as our economy shifted away from manufacturing.

This loss of revenue, caused local governments to trim budgets and the first victims always seemed to be the fire department. Staffing levels were decreased, stations were closed and apparatus replacement was postponed.

In many ways, we were on the verge of reverting back to a pre-1973 fire service.

America also had become a more mobile society. Travelers expected to have the same type of emergency services available to them regardless of where in the country they were.

Likewise fire chiefs across the nation called attention to the fact that they were responsible for tons of hazardous materials that were being shipped through their jurisdictions even though their community did not get a dollar of tax revenue from it.  

Birth of a grant program
The federal government began to discuss a financial assistance program for local fire departments. And in October 2000, Congress passed the FIRE Act.

Through this legislation, the Assistance to Firefighters Grant was authorized. In FY2001, the first year of AFG, $100 million was authorized for the program. Over the program's 14 years, $6.6 billion has been awarded to local fire departments for apparatus, equipment, training and PPE.

By 2003 fire service advocates requested additional federal funds for a program to assist local departments with hiring additional career firefighters and assist volunteer departments recruit and retain firefighters.

In places like Pennsylvania, the number of volunteer firefighters had decreased by 75 percent over the past 30 years. Many urban career departments had lost so many positions due to budget cutbacks that they were no longer in compliance with national standards.

A fire-service champion
In response to pleas from fire service professionals like Glenn Gaines, Congress enacted the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Act in November 2003. Since its inception SAFER has provided $2.5 billion in financial assistance to local departments.

This grant became essential to many departments as local governments faced financial chaos as a result of the recession that began in 2008. During this period, local governments saw their tax base completely eroded by the failing economy.

At the same time most state governments were near collapse and unable to dedicate any resources to help their municipalities. Had it not been for the SAFER program, many urban fire departments would have experienced drastic reductions in their staffing levels.

Enactment of the SAFER program has been a long-term investment in our nation's communities. It has helped to stabilize municipal governments, to keep local budgets in line and to keep insurance costs under control.

In the same light, AFG has helped local departments to stay up to standard with their equipment, apparatus and training needs without jeopardizing their financial outlook. In addition, this grant money has helped the national economy by retaining and creating jobs at firms that manufacture, sell or service fire apparatus and equipment.

Many of us have grown accustomed to these grant programs and we tend to whine and complain when our grant request doesn't get funded. Every now and then it is a good practice to "never forget where you came from, how you got where you are, and who helped you get there."

To Glenn Gaines' family and close friends we offer our condolences. Glenn, thank you for your wisdom, your knowledge and your foresight. Rest easy; we will take it from here.