Florida Administrative Code › 69 - DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES › 69A - Division of State Fire Marshal › Chapter 69A-37 - FIREFIGHTERS STANDARDS AND TRAINING › Section 69A-37.502 - Firefighter Assistance Grant Program

Current through Reg. 50, No. 138; July 16, 2024
(1)
				The Firefighter Assistance Grant Program is established pursuant to Section
				 633.135, F.S. The Firefighter
				Assistance Grant Program is created within the Division of State Fire Marshal
				to improve the emergency response capability of volunteer fire departments and
				combination fire departments. The program will provide financial assistance to
				improve firefighter safety and enable such fire departments to provide
				firefighting, emergency medical, and rescue services to their communities. This
				grant program will only be carried out when funds have been allocated by the
				legislature to the Division for the grant period. To participate in the
				Firefighter Assistance Grant Program, an eligible fire service provider must
				mail a completed Form DFS-K4-2174, Application for Firefighter Assistance Grant
				Program, to the Division of State Fire Marshal, Bureau of Fire Standards and
				Training, 11655 N.W. Gainesville Road, Ocala, Florida 34482. Form DFS-K4-2174
				(Rev. 07/22) is hereby incorporated by reference and is available at the
				following website:
http://www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/SFM/BFST/BFSTForms.htm
;
				and on the following link:
https://www.flrules.org/Gateway/reference.asp?No=Ref-15339
.
(2) Purpose and objective. The purpose of
				this program is to provide funding to fire departments to use to provide
				volunteer firefighter training and procure necessary firefighter personal
				protective equipment, self-contained breathing apparatus equipment, pumper fire
				apparatus, firesafety and fire rescue related equipment and tools, and wildland
				fire fighting and urban interface fire fighting protective clothing and
				equipment. The objective of this program is to award grants directly to
				eligible fire departments in order to have an immediate impact on the safety of
				firefighters and to improve the emergency response capability of volunteer fire
				departments and combination fire departments.
(3) Eligibility.
(a) Eligible applicants are fire service
				providers organized and operating in the state of Florida as a volunteer fire
				department or combination fire department that meet all of the following
				requirements:
1. Is a fire service provider as
				defined by paragraph  69A-37.501(1)(d),
				F.A.C.,
2. Has been organized as a
				fire department for a consecutive period of not less than five (5)
				years,
3. Is recorded as a fire
				department in the Division's online electronic database,
4. Has a Florida fire department
				identification (FDID) number as defined in Rule
				 69A-66.007, F.A.C.,
5. Has demonstrated a history of using
				certified volunteer firefighters for at least six (6) months prior to the grant
				application as evidenced by the roster contained within the Division's
				electronic online database,
6. Has
				submitted the Florida Fire Service Needs Assessment, Form DFS-K4-2191, which is
				incorporated by reference in Rule
				 69A-37.039, F.A.C., and can be
				found at this website:
http:www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/SFM/BFST/BFSTForms.htm
.
				The applicant shall have completed this survey during the most recent survey
				period of April 1st through May 31st in the same calendar year of the
				Firefighter Assistance Grant Program application period start date;
				and
7. Is compliant with the
				Florida Firefighters Occupational Health and Safety Act (Sections
				 633.502 -
				 633.536, F.S.) or has a plan for
				correction for any noncompliance issue filed with the Division. The applicant
				must have completed a compliance inspection within the previous three years of
				the grant award or agree to have a compliance inspection conducted prior to the
				grant award.