National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) News

The application period is open for the inaugural State Farm® Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program. State Farm has teamed up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to award $500,000 in grants to local volunteer fire departments. A total of 50 departments will each receive a $10,000 grant to obtain critical equipment to enhance the safety and effectiveness of their responders. The application period is open through August 18 or until 500 applications are received, whichever comes...

State Farm® is teaming up with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to award $500,000 in grants to local volunteer fire departments – the ultimate good neighbors. Through the State Farm Good Neighbor Firefighter Safety Program, 50 fire departments will receive $10,000 in grants to help them obtain the equipment they need to increase responder safety and improve service to the community. The application period will be open from August 1-18, 2024, or until 500 applications are re...

Summer brings outdoor adventures, water activities, and barbecues, but it also can bring danger to firefighters, who exert themselves in heavy gear and high temperatures. To help prevent firefighter dehydration and heat-related injuries, especially during long incidents and wildfire response, DripDrop Hydration, PBC, has partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) for the fifth year to donate 200,000 sticks of electrolyte drink mix to volunteer fire departments. DripDrop DripDro...

National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) testified before the House of Representatives Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Emergency Management and Technology regarding the impact that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed Emergency Response Standard will have on volunteer fire departments. OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on February 5 to replace their Fire Brigade Standard with the proposed Emergency Response Standard. While ther...

This week is Firefighter Safety Stand Down, and fire departments are encouraged to suspend non-emergency operations to focus on training and education relating to this year’s theme - Fire Training: Back to Basics. Daily topics focus on the fundamentals of a successful training program, culminating in the 12 Foundations of Fire Department Training. Many resources are available to help departments implement Safety Stand Down and enhance their training initiatives throughout the year....

For the sixth consecutive year, Anheuser-Busch and its wholesaler partners are joining forces with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) to deliver over 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country. This donation will prepare local volunteer firefighters with vital resources ahead of the annual summer wildfire season, rather than waiting until after disaster strikes. The continued partnership builds on the brewer’s longstanding history...

A total of $60,000 will be donated to six departments by CHEMTREC® and its supporters. As the number of hazmat incidents occurring annually continues to increase, more volunteer fire departments are finding it difficult to afford the training and equipment needed to prepare for and respond to these kinds of incidents. To help departments access these much-needed resources, CHEMTREC® has partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) for the sixth year to offer the CHEMTREC H...

The second entry period is open for the MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet Giveaway. Volunteer firefighters who are members of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) can enter to win one of the helmets, which showcase the iconic traditional design with innovative features that address current fire service needs.   eligibility criteria This is the second of four opportunities to win a Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet in 2024. One recipient will be randomly selected after each entry per...

As the number of hazmat incidents occurring annually continues to increase, more volunteer fire departments are finding it difficult to afford the training and equipment needed to prepare for and respond to these kinds of incidents. To help departments access these much-needed resources, CHEMTREC® has partnered with the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) for the sixth year to offer the CHEMTREC HELP (Hazmat Emergencies Local Preparedness) Award.  HELP Award In 2024, six volunteer...

Firefighters serve their communities in a unique and impactful way, going into the emergency when everyone else is going out. But what many people don’t realize is that the majority of firefighters in the U.S. are volunteers. These are neighbors helping neighbors when they need it most. It is this commitment to service and giving back that Mike Rowe highlights on the May 28 episode of The Way I Heard It podcast.  Episode #387 features Episode #387 features conversations with Dr. Ca...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) continues to raise awareness on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) proposed Emergency Response Standard and offer resources to help first responders take action. On February 5, OSHA published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to replace the agency’s ‘Fire Brigades’ standard with a proposed new ‘Emergency Response Standard’. This NPRM’s publication triggered the beginning of a public...

Resideo Technologies, a pioneering global provider of solutions for home comfort, energy management, safety, and security, has rolled out its latest First Alert® smoke alarm innovations at retailers nationwide. From the most trusted brand in fire safety comes Precision Detection™ advanced sensing technology that defines a new era of residential fire protection and coincides with the most significant smoke alarm industry manufacturing standards in decades, which will come into effect J...

The NVFC and MSA Safety have teamed up to offer NVFC members who are volunteer firefighters four chances to win an MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet in 2024. The helmet showcases the iconic traditional design with innovative features that address fire service needs. One recipient will be selected after each entry period. The first entry period is now open, but hurry, the deadline to enter is April 30. 

MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the NVFC annually team up to provide volunteer fire departments in need with state-of-the-art turnout gear and helmets. In 2024, a total of 52 sets of gear and helmets will be awarded to 13 departments. To be eligible, the department must be over 50% volunteer, serve a population of 25,000 or less, be legally organized in the U.S. or Canada, and the person applying or department chief must be an NVFC member. Apply by June 1, 2024.

It’s National Volunteer Week, and the NVFC extends their thanks to all of the volunteer firefighters, EMS providers, rescue workers, and support personnel, who make the communities better every day. This is a great week to recognize the work of the volunteers in the department, as well as plan initiatives for supporting the membership and recruiting more volunteers. Here are some resources to help: National Volunteer Week – 10 Ways to Recognize & Retain the Volunteers &nda...

On February 5, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modernize the agency’s ‘Fire Brigades’ standard with a proposed new ‘Emergency Response Standard.’ This NPRM’s publication triggered the beginning of a public comment period that was initially scheduled to conclude on May 6. Thanks to feedback from the emergency services community, OSHA has extended this public comment period to June 21...

To help improve the safety of volunteer firefighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has partnered with MSA Safety to award four NVFC members a personalized MSA Cairns® 1836 Fire Helmet in 2024. The MSA Cairns 1836 Fire Helmet showcases the iconic traditional design with innovative features that address the fire service needs. Efficient asset management The MSA Cairns 1836 Fire Helmet features a low ride height and a newly designed Defender Visor that adjusts in and out to fi...

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is proposing an extensive new safety and health standard, titled “Emergency Response,” to replace the existing “Fire Brigades Standard.” The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for the “Emergency Response Standard” was published in the Federal Register on February 5, with the public comment period open until May 6. updated standard This proposed updated standard would issue hundreds of new requirements that...

The U.S. Fire Administration is hosting a webinar on April 10 2024 on Battery Fires: Before, During, and After the Incident. With the continued growth in the use and sale of battery-powered devices, members of the fire service need to know how to mitigate and respond to battery fire incidents.

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) recently hosted its first Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP) Advocate train-the-trainer event for a new network of regional representatives that will teach the WFAP curriculum and advocate for mitigation and safety in wildfire-prone areas across the U.S. The WFAP is a joint effort by the U.S. Forest Service and the NVFC to provide fire service volunteers with training and resources to conduct safety assessments for homes located in the wildland-ur...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) recently hosted its first Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP) Advocate train-the-trainer event for a new network of regional representatives that will teach the WFAP curriculum and advocate for mitigation and safety in wildfire-prone areas across the U.S. The WFAP is a joint effort by the U.S. Forest Service and the NVFC to provide fire service volunteers with training and resources to conduct safety assessments for homes located in the wildland-ur...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce the winners of its annual fire service achievement awards, which recognize fire service volunteers who have gone above and beyond in service to their department and community. The 2024 recipients are Stephen Austin, Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Lincoln Financial Group; Chief John Swan Sr., Chief James P. Seavey Sr. Health & Wellness Leadership Award, co-sponsored by VFIS and Ward Diesel Filter Systems; Joseph Val...

Do users know of a fire department that received much-needed federal funding for training, equipment, or recruitment? Chances are that funding came from an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) or Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant. Need for urgent action If Congress does not act within the next few months, AFG and SAFER will cease to exist. As seen in this letter from the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and over 30 fire service-related organizat...

On December 21, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced that it will issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to modernize the agency’s ‘Fire Brigades’ standard. This standard was first published and last updated in 1980. This proposed updated standard would issue several new requirements that would be very burdensome, and in many cases impossible, for volunteer fire departments to comply with. Specifically, there would be prohibitively rest...

Proper personal protective equipment is critical to the safety, health, and effectiveness of firefighters, yet many volunteer fire departments struggle to find the budget to provide their firefighters with adequate, up-to-date turnout gear. MSA Safety, DuPont Personal Protection, and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) team up each year to help volunteer departments meet this need through MSA and DuPont’s Globe Gear Giveaway. NVFC membership MSA will provide the first 500 applic...

On January 22-24, 2024, fire service leaders, including NVFC Rhode Island Director - Kevin Quinn, traveled to Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; and Columbus, OH, to urge the public to take the proper precautions to protect themselves against home fires and extreme cold. The message comes as the U.S. Fire Administration projects the U.S. will hit 3,000 fire deaths in 2024. The speakers also used the opportunity to talk about the fire service and how people can step up and serve their communities. Learn...

Fire and emergency service pioneers have many responsibilities, from recruiting and managing personnel, to budgeting and administration, to community relations, to setting the culture and ethical tone for the department, and much more. Whether new or established, pioneers are constantly needing to learn and grow in their roles. The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has released a new Leadership training track in the Virtual Classroom, designed specifically for fire and EMS department pion...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is pleased to announce two new speakers have been added to the agenda for the 2024 NVFC Training Summit. The NVFC’s signature conference, taking place June 21-22 in Buffalo, NY, provides an opportunity for firefighters and EMS providers to participate in valuable classroom training, idea sharing, and networking. Joining the prestigious line-up are Jan Spence, CSP, who will present on leading and engaging volunteers, and Chief Keith Drabick, who...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) is seeking qualified individuals with backgrounds in wildfire mitigation, safety, and instruction to join a new corps of qualified instructors, in order to help teach the Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP) curriculum and advocate for mitigation and safety in wildfire-prone regions across the U.S. NVFC’s Wildland Fire Assessment Program Advocate Network NVFC is looking for a variety of folks from across different topographies NVFC is lookin...

The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has launched an online, searchable directory of behavioral health professionals ready and able to help firefighters, EMS providers, rescue workers, and their families. This new tool replaces the previous PDF directory and will make it easier for responders and their families to find the assistance they need. Emergency responders face unique challenges that can have a significant impact on their mental wellbeing, and it is important that they have acces...