NVFC Working to Combat Cuts to Key Fire Programs at NIOSH

April 15, 2025

On March 27, the Department of Health and Human Services announced a consolidation plan that would reportedly cut two-thirds of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) staff. The following week this consolidation plan manifested in mass firings of staff for the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer, the Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program (FFFIPP), and the National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL). The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has been active in pushing back against these cuts and will continue to pressure the administration to restore these important programs.

The NFR is a crucial tool for collecting data, identifying trends, and informing policies that enhance firefighter health protections. The NFR is particularly instrumental in filling data gaps left in other studies regarding cancer in volunteer firefighters. Congress voted to reauthorize the NFR through FY 2028 last year. NFR funding has been a policy priority for the NVFC, and the NVFC has issued a position statement supporting the NFR.

The FFFIPP plays an indispensable role in identifying the causes of firefighter line-of-duty deaths and developing recommendations to prevent future tragedies. These efforts have directly contributed to reducing firefighter fatalities and injuries, making the fire service community safer and more resilient. The NVFC requested increased funding for the FFFIPP for FY 2025.

The NPPTL plays a critical role in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of personal protective equipment (PPE) for first responders. The NPPTL conducts research on all types of PPE effectiveness and innovation, develops best practices and recommendations for PPE, and creates guidance and tools to help employers best use PPE. NPPTL is particularly known for its work with respirators.

The NVFC is having numerous meetings with lawmakers and stakeholders to push for these important programs to be restored. The NVFC has also cosigned a letter with other national fire organizations to the Chair and Ranking Member of the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee’s Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education, & Related Agencies requesting that the funding and staffing of the programs mentioned above and the World Trade Center Health Program be preserved.