VFC warns FEMA/USFA funding in danger
The budget debate in Congress has endangered the funding of the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), a division of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), reports the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC), working in conjunction with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC).
According to the NVFC, Congress has recommended that FEMA–funded through the Veterans Affairs/Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee–be funded at $180 million instead of the $320 million recommended by the Clinton Administration. Implementation of these cuts, say the NVFC and IAFC, could result in “a major reduction in services provided by the USFA, including firefighter training, education, and research.”
Members of the fire service community are urged to contact their senators and representatives to stress the importance of these programs and to request that FEMA be funded at the level set forth in the administration`s budget. For more information, contact the NVFC at (202) 887-5700.
