Firefighters Support Alliance has launched an initiative to help voters understand the local economic impact fire departments have on their communities, and how crucial federal grant programs like AFG and SAFER are to emergency preparedness. One of the most exciting tools to be launched as part of this initiative is an interactive map that tracks and breaks down data related to the economic impact of firefighters.
Firefighters Support Alliance is the direct grassroots public policy & political engagement arm of Firefighters and EMS Fund. The project was specifically formed to directly engage the public and voters about significant issues and solutions that impact America's heroes. Although often overlooked, the economics surrounding firefighting- including what funding and resources are available to fire departments- is a significant aspect of making sure firefighters are able to effectively and safely do their jobs and protect their communities.
Firefighter’s importance in the economy
"It's important for citizens to understand the immense role public sector employees play in the economy, as well as understand the huge impact federal grant dollars have on emergency preparedness," Nile Porter, Executive Director of Firefighters and EMS Fund, said.
The interactive map includes data on the number of fire departments, firefighters, and grant dollars in relation to each metric. Website visitors can manipulate the map to show specific data by region or state, and the map itself is color-coded to provide easy understanding of the density of each state. "The data speaks for itself; the fire protection industry is a huge part of the American economy and disturbances to such a wide reaching and essential industry will be felt by all. Rich or poor, we all rely on fire and EMS capabilities in one capacity or another," Executive Director Nile Porter continued.
