With a historic investment by the 89th Texas Legislature, Texas A&M Forest Service approved $164 million in funding for Texas volunteer fire departments.
The funding will be awarded to local fire departments through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program, which will award 558 fire trucks and 321 slip-on units.
The announcement came Tuesday, Oct. 14, after a meeting that marked the largest allocation of awards and the first phase in distributing over $192 million to Texas volunteer fire departments.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas uses a tiered approach to wildfire response, establishing local fire departments and counties as the first on the scene. State response is activated as wildfires become more complex and grow beyond the capacity of local first responders.
“Texas fire departments are the front line of local response, and their equipment capacity is vital to response time and effectiveness,” said Al Davis, Texas A&M Forest Service director. “This historic funding reflects the strong support of the Texas legislature and governor. Their investment allows us to continue supporting and equipping firefighters who protect Texas’s lives and property.”
By using the funding through this program to purchase critical equipment, local fire departments increase their capacity to respond to wildfires and a wide array of emergency incidents.
During the legislative session, this program was also appropriated approximately $88 million in base funding for the biennium (fiscal years 2026-27) to address ongoing needs for critical equipment at the local level.
Texas fire departments will receive additional funding over the coming months for fire and rescue equipment, personal protective equipment, training aids and dry hydrants.
The Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program was established in 2001 to grant rural volunteer fire departments essential firefighting equipment and training. Since its onset, the program has awarded over $500 million in grants to Texas fire departments.