Funding Resources & Benefits Available to the Texas Fire Service

  • Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program - $17 Million/Year

    -Available to fire departments with 20 or fewer paid members

    -Provides grants for fire equipment, training, apparatus

    -Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service

    -Referred to as the HB2604 Program

  • Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) Grant - $1 Million/Year

    -Available to fire departments with 21 or more paid members

    -Provides grants to fire departments for fire equipment, training and state-owned apparatus

    -Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service

  • Equipment Grants (Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service)

    Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program (excess federal military property)

    For additional information - click here.

    Helping Hands Program (donated, used equipment)

  • Rural VFD Insurance Program

    Provides financial assistance for FDs to get worker’s compensation or AD&D insurance

    Administered by Texas A&M Forest Service

    Referred to as the HB3667 Program

  • Line-of-Duty Death Benefit - $500,000/Incident

    Available to any firefighter’s family in the event of a line-of-duty death

    Administered by Employee Retirement System of Texas

    College tuition exemption available to children of fallen firefighters

  • College Tuition Exemption

    Volunteer and paid firefighters seeking a fire science degree are exempt from college tuition (excluding lab fees, etc.)

    Administered by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board