Rural Fire Assistance

If approved through Congress, the Department of the Interior (DOI) receives an appropriated budget each year for the Rural Fire Assistance (RFA) grant program. The maximum award is $20,000 per department. This funding will enhance the fire protection capabilities of rural and volunteer fire departments through training, equipment purchases, and fire prevention work on a cost-shared basis. The DOI assistance program targets rural and volunteer fire departments that routinely help fight fire on or near DOI lands.

Each year since 2001(with the exception of 2007) this grant program, administered by the Balcones Fire Program, has awarded money to:

Travis County ESD #1
Travis County ESD #7
Liberty Hill Fire Department
Bertram Fire Department
Burnet Fire Department
Marble Falls Fire Department
Hoover Valley Fire Department
South Hays Fire Department
Uvalde Fire Department

Balcones also manages the fire program at Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR in Eagle Lake, Texas

Eagle Lake Volunteer Fire Department

To date a total of $158,046 has been awarded to departments.

To learn more about the Rural Fire Assistance Program, please visit http://www.nifc.gov/rfa