Texas A&M Forest Service awards nearly $20 million to Texas fire departments
COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M Forest Service awarded nearly $20 million to 518 rural volunteer fire departments across the state today to support firefighting equipment and emergency response capabilities.
The $19.6 million will help departments purchase firefighting apparatus, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing and other essential resources needed to safely and effectively respond to emergencies in their communities.
The awards mark the first funding round of fiscal year 2027 through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, which provides cost-share funding to rural volunteer fire departments for firefighting equipment, training and other emergency needs.
Rural volunteer fire departments provide essential emergency response services across Texas and are often the first to respond to wildfires and other emergencies. Funding through the program helps departments maintain and improve their response capabilities while providing firefighters with the equipment and resources needed to protect lives and property.
“When an emergency happens, volunteer fire departments are often the first to answer the call. We are committed to strengthening our local responders across Texas by providing critically needed equipment and resources to save lives and protect property when it matters most,” said Merrie Noak, Texas A&M Forest Service program leader.
Demand for assistance through the program routinely exceeds available funding as volunteer fire departments work to maintain and replace vehicles, protective gear and other essential resources. To address longstanding funding needs, the 89th Texas Legislature appropriated $192 million in one-time additional funding to support outstanding requests.
In addition to grants for firefighting apparatus and equipment, the program funds training tuition, volunteer recruitment resources and the repair or replacement of equipment damaged or lost after catastrophic events or declared states of disaster.
Applications that have not yet received funding will remain under consideration during future funding rounds. The next funding round is scheduled for March 2027.
View the list of Oct. 23 grant recipients tfsweb.tamu.edu/
For more information, visit the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program webpage.