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# Reimbursement for Firefighting Costs on Federal Property

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If your fire department responded to a fire on federal property within the past 90 days, it may be eligible for reimbursement of firefighting costs — from the federal agency which had the fire — under a program administered by the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA).

## Your department may qualify for reimbursement if:

Personnel performed fire suppression activities. (Fire prevention, training or other activities are not eligible.)

It is a state, local, tribal, territorial, public or private fire department with career and/or volunteer firefighters.

The claim is for direct expenses or losses over and above normal operating costs, such as:
          - Overtime pay.
          - Pay for specially hired personnel.
          - Additional fuel expenses.
          - Food expenses.
          - Loss or damage of equipment.

Watch this short video for an overview of how the reimbursement program works.  Transcript

##### Transcript

```

                    ** music playing **
                    Did you know?
                    When fighting fires on federal property
                    the fire service may be eligible for
                    reimbursement of costs from that federal agency.
                    As FEMA's designee
                    USFA want you to know
                    we are here to assist you in receiving that reimbursement.
                    How to qualify...
                    Perform fire suppression activities on federally owned property.
                    Submit a claim on behalf of a state, local, tribal, territorial,
                    public or private fire department with career and/or volunteer
                    firefighters.
                    The claim is for direct expenses or losses over and above normal
                    operating costs.
                    There is a time limit!
                    Applications/claims for reimbursement must be submitted within
                    90 days of the incident.
                    For more information, visit
                    www.usfa.fema.gov/grants
```

## How to file a claim

**Claims for reimbursement must be submitted within 90 days of the incident.** There isn't a claim form to submit but you must include the following information in your fire department's claim package:

### Contact information

          -   Name, address, jurisdiction and nature (volunteer, private, municipal, etc.) of the fire department.
          -   Name, title, address, phone number and email address of the person authorized by the fire department to make the claim.
          -   Name, email address and phone number of a federal employee familiar with the facts of the incident.
          -   Name, address, and phone number of the federal organization having jurisdiction over the burned property. Proof of federal ownership of property involved must be clearly established. The cost for firefighting on non-federally owned property (leased) is not reimbursable regardless of the origin of the fire.

### Fire department information

          -   Evidence of authorization to initiate the claim.
          -   Proof of authority to fight fire (source of alarm, requested or accepted by a federal official).
          -   Information on mutual aid agreements with any federal agency.
          -   A list of any money or grants the federal government has paid to your department in the past.

### Fire information

          -   Location of the fire.
          -   Description of the property burned.
          -   Copy of fire reports from the dispatch center, fire department, or other reporting organization.
          -   List of personnel on scene and fighting the fire.
          -   List of major firefighting apparatus on scene.
          -   Complete list of direct expenses (losses) associated with the on-scene firefighting effort, such as overtime pay, food, additional fuel, etc. Loses are paid on the depreciated value of equipment damaged or destroyed.

## Send your claim

Send a cover letter on fire department letterhead and your claim package to:

For more information, please contact ReimbCostsFFFedProperty@fema.dhs.gov or 301-447-7476.

### About the reimbursement program

To ease the financial burden on local fire departments, Congress authorized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/USFA to review and approve requests from fire departments for reimbursement of suppression costs associated with fighting fire on federal property.

The authority for the Reimbursement for Costs of Firefighting on Federal Property Program is found in the  Code of Federal Regulations (44 CFR 151).

Page last reviewed: Feb. 8, 2023

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