How do I determine whether I represent a volunteer, combination, or career fire department or a national, regional, state, local, tribal, and nonprofit volunteer firefighter interest organization for SAFER Program?

• A volunteer fire department, as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 2229, has an all-volunteer force of firefighting personnel. For a fire department to have an all-volunteer force, no member may receive financial compensation (in the form of salary or wages) for their services other than life and health insurance, workers’ compensation insurance, and/or a nominal stipend per call. For the purposes of this SAFER Program, a department whose membership is comprised of all volunteer firefighters, including any paid-on-call firefighters who receive only a nominal stipend, will be considered a volunteer fire department.

• A career department, as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 2229, has an all-paid force of firefighting personnel other than paid-on-call firefighters. Fire departments that provide reimbursement on a paid-on-call basis are considered a combination fire department for the purposes of this program.

• A combination department, as defined in 15 U.S.C. § 2229, has paid firefighting personnel and volunteer firefighting personnel. At a minimum, a combination fire department must have at least one active firefighter who receives financial compensation for services (including paid-on-call) and at least one active firefighter who does not receive financial compensation for services other than life, health, and workers’ compensation insurance.

For the purposes of this SAFER Program, a department whose membership is composed of any paid-on-call firefighters who receive more than a nominal stipend will be considered a combination fire department.

FEMA considers a department to be combination majority volunteer if more than 50 percent of its membership is made up of personnel who do not receive financial compensation for services. Departments are considered combination majority career if more than 50% of the active firefighting membership is salaried staff.

• A national, regional, state, local, tribal, and nonprofit volunteer firefighter interest organization is defined as an organization that supports or represents the interests of firefighters in front of legislative bodies at the local, state, tribal, and federal level. Such organizations include but are not limited to state or local firefighter and/or fire chiefs’ associations, volunteer firefighter relief organizations, and associations. FEMA shall make the final determination as to whether an applicant is an appropriate volunteer firefighter interest group. Fire departments applying for a regional grant on behalf of itself and other participating fire departments are not considered an interest organization.