News

The Department of Transportation’s (DoT) Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) grant program provides funding to states for training first responders in hazmat operations. This year, DoT Secretary Mary Peters called for a Rural Safety Initiative (RSI) as part of the program in an effort to direct funding to rural areas.

 

Each state has a HMEP coordinator who applies to DoT for funding based on their state’s needs. Applications are due on July 15 and funding is awarded to the state on September 30. The National Volunteer Fire Council encourages members to contact their state coordinator to make them aware of their specific hazmat training needs so they can be included in the application to DoT. Applications are currently in the process of being drafted, so it is important that volunteers contact their state coordinators as soon as possible.

 

Secretary Peters issued the RSI largely because of unmet needs in rural areas. It is incumbent upon the volunteer fire service to demonstrate that need by communicating with state coordinators. Find out how to contact the HMEP coordinator in your state. Learn more about RSI and HMEP.