Arizona Forestry Supporting Fire Districts with New Equipment Grant
Phoenix, AZ (12/17/2024) – The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) announces $5 million in available funding to help Arizona’s fire districts with fire apparatus purchases. The money supports Arizona’s rural communities and allows fire districts to improve service to their areas. The grant stems from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding provided to the state from the federal government. Governor Katie Hobbs provided ARPA dollars to DFFM to allow this new grant program to be possible.
The application process is open and fire districts can use the money to support their wildland firefighting efforts with the purchase of a Type 3 or Type 6 engine, or a tactical water tender. Fire districts located within rural areas can request up to $400,000 in ARPA funding.
DFFM’s Rural Fire Capacity (RFC) grants are also currently available to Arizona’s fire districts. RFC grants help smaller, fire agencies with needs such as personal protection equipment, fire shelters, hand tools, training, communications equipment, and other resources necessary to support their wildland fire programs. The RFC program is an annual grant that provides state financial assistance to rural fire districts to help with critical wildland fire purchases that often times their budgets do not allow for.
Earlier this year, and through the SB 1720 grant program, DFFM awarded nearly $4.3 million to 15 of Arizona’s fire districts. That SB 1720 money supported districts with equipment needs such as engines, water tenders, and ambulances along with any infrastructure or communication needs. Those grants closed in April, however, leftover SB 1720 funding allowed DFFM to recently award two more agencies with grant money. With those remaining funds, DFFM earmarked $300,000 to both Pinon Pines and Desert Hills Fire Districts to help each agency to purchase a Type 6 engine.
Both the ARPA and RFC grants close on Friday, January 24, 2025. Additional details on these two programs along with information on all of DFFM’s grant programs can be found at dffm.az.gov/grants.
For more information, contact Tiffany Davila at 602-540-1036 or by email at [email protected]
