Thanks to a historic investment by the 89th Texas Legislature, Texas A&M Forest Service approved over $164 million in funding to award 558 fire trucks and 321 slip-on units to Texas volunteer fire departments through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
Members of the Texas A&M Forest Service capacity building department approve grant awards for volunteer fire departments at a meeting on Oct. 14. (Texas A&M Forest Service).
The Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program was established by Texas House Bill 2604 in 2001 to provide grants to rural volunteer fire departments for essential firefighting equipment and training. Since its onset, the program has awarded over $500 million in grants to Texas fire departments, including in this new round of funding.
This round marked the largest allocation of awards and the first phase in distributing over $192 million to Texas volunteer fire departments. This follows a one-time appropriation approved during the 89th Texas legislative session for departments that submitted funding requests on or before Nov. 7, 2024.
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 the governor. Their investment allows us to continue supporting and equipping firefighters who protect Texas’ lives and property.”
Equipment to aid first responder responsibilities
By using the funding through this program to purchase critical equipment, local fire departments increase their equipment capacity to respond to wildfires and a wide array of emergency incidents, including house fires and motor vehicle accidents.
During the legislative session, this assistance program was also appropriated approximately $88 million in base funding for the biennium, Fiscal Years 2026-27 — the most ever allocated — to address ongoing needs for critical equipment at the local level.
Additional funding for fire and rescue equipment, personal protective equipment, training aids and dry hydrants will be awarded to fire departments over the coming months.
Fire departments are eligible to apply for grants and assistance through Texas FireConnect, a Texas A&M Forest Service database that provides a streamlined grant portal for the agency and fire departments.
FireConnect also provides a comprehensive directory of Texas fire departments that is viewable for the public and all Texas fire agencies, as well as a portal for fire departments to submit incident reports to increase statewide situational awareness and track suppression costs.
View the list of grant recipients from the first FY26 funding meeting.
