Funding Resources & Benefits Available to Texas Fire Service

Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program - $24 Million / Year

• Available to fire departments with 20 or fewer paid members
• Provides grants for fire equipment, training, apparatus
• Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service
• Referred to as the HB2604 Program

For additional information - click here

Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) Grant - $1 million/YR

• Available to fire departments with 21 or more paid members
• Provides grants to fire departments for fire equipment, training and state-owned apparatus
• Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service

For additional information - click here

Equipment Grants (Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service)

• Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program (excess federal military property)
  For additional information - click here
• Helping Hands Program (donated, used equipment)
  For additional information - click here

Rural VFD Insurance Program

• Provides financial assistance for FDs to get worker’s compensation or AD&D insurance
• Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service
• Referred to as the HB3667 Program

For additional information - click here

Line of Duty Death Benefit - $250,000/Incident

• Available to any firefighter’s family in the event of a line of duty death
• Administered by Employee Retirement System of Texas
• College tuition exemption available to children of fallen firefighters

For additional information - click here

College Tuition Exemption

• Volunteer and paid firefighters seeking a fire science degree are exempt from college tuition
  (excluding lab fees, etc.)
• Administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Application and more information - Click Here
FAQ - Click Here