Over the past two weeks, FEMA awarded $648 million in grant funding to more than 1,600 fire departments and other first responder organizations across the country. This funding will enable these organizations to get the equipment, staff and support they need to carry out their critical, life-saving missions.
First responders play an essential role in keeping Americans safe. This grant funding ensures they can quickly and effectively respond to emergencies. This work aligns with President Donald J. Trump’s America First Resilience Strategy, which calls for redirecting power away from Washington D.C. and back into communities.
“Firefighters and other first responders are everyday heroes, helping their neighbors and communities when they need it most,” said FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton. “Through this grant funding, FEMA is building the capability of these local organizations to respond to disasters and emergencies. By empowering fire departments to get the staff, training and equipment they need, FEMA is strengthening the resilience of American communities nationwide.”
FEMA administered these grant awards through three Fiscal Year 2025 fire grant programs:
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Assistance to Firefighters Grants: $291.6 million to more than 1,400 fire departments and other emergency medical services agencies. Recipients can use this funding to obtain protective equipment and emergency response vehicles, to deliver specialized training programs to staff and to develop health initiatives to prepare responders for incidents.
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Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program: $324 million to nearly 200 fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations that represent the interests of firefighters. Recipients will use the money to cover firefighting personnel costs, as well as recruitment efforts and retention programs.
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Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program: $32.4 million to more than 60 fire departments, academic and research institutions and nonprofit organizations. Recipients will use the money to fund scientific research and technology development that will strengthen community fire prevention programs or improve firefighter safety, health and well-being.
On Sept. 28, FEMA announced $300 million in grant awards to more than 1,600 nonprofit organizations across the United States.
In the face of violent criminals and radical organizations, the Trump-Vance Administration is stepping up to protect American communities. This funding, administered through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, will empower faith-based institutions and other nonprofits to harden their defenses against potential attacks. Selected nonprofits can use the funding for security enhancements like security cameras, additional warning and alert systems, gates and lighting, access control systems and training programs for staff.
FEMA awarded funding directly to State Administrative Agencies that will administer the funding to the selected nonprofit organizations. These organizations include Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish affiliated institutions. Most of the funding will be awarded to houses of worship, but selected organizations also include schools, medical facilities, senior centers, camps, museums, shelters and community centers.
The Nonprofit Security Grant Program is one of the Department of Homeland Security’s Preparedness Grants. These programs strengthen the nation’s ability to manage disasters and combat acts of terrorism by empowering law enforcement agencies, first responder organizations and community organizations. For more information on the Nonprofit Security Grant program and FEMA’s other preparedness grants, visit Preparedness Grants | FEMA.gov.
The Trump Administration is taking aggressive action to root out fraud and protect taxpayer dollars, ensuring disaster assistance reaches only those who truly need it. As part of this commitment, FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) are working with the U.S. Department of Justice and federal and local partners to investigate fraud and hold offenders accountable.
Taking funds meant for disaster survivors is a serious crime. In Fiscal Year 2025, FEMA suspected more than 2,000 fraud cases. The agency refers suspected disaster assistance fraud to the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) and other law enforcement partners for investigation and potential prosecution, including cases involving organized criminal activity.
President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order 14395 established the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, bringing together federal agencies to coordinate a national strategy to stop fraud, waste and abuse in federal benefit programs. FEMA is fully engaged in strengthening eligibility verification, enhancing prepayment controls and ensuring disaster assistance is delivered quickly and securely to eligible survivors.
Anyone who defrauds American taxpayers will face the consequences. Recent cases demonstrate FEMA’s and its law enforcement partners’ commitment to investigating suspected fraud and holding offenders accountable:
- On Jan. 28, a Pennsylvania woman was sentenced to five years in prison for a scheme to defraud FEMA in the wake of Hurricane Ida. The woman pleaded guilty to 32 charges amounting to more than $1.7 million.
- On April 3, a Hawaii woman was sentenced to four months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, with $60,458 in restitution to FEMA. She conspired to defraud the agency by submitting false disaster relief claims tied to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfires.
- On June 17, a Texas woman was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for fraudulently obtaining more than $28,000 in federal disaster relief money. In addition to several false non-disaster claims, she submitted a fraudulent disaster benefits application to FEMA, claiming she lived in a rental property in Pasadena, California, that had been damaged by the Eaton Fire.
- On June 5, a Hawaii man was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with false claims he submitted to FEMA to seek disaster relief related to the Lahaina and Pacific Palisades wildfire disasters. The man was also ordered to pay $60,458 in restitution to FEMA.
- Last month, a Michigan woman was sentenced to six months in prison after a jury convicted her of major disaster fraud. After Hurricane Ian made landfall in September 2022, she fraudulently claimed FEMA disaster benefits for her vacation home in Florida, stating it was her primary residence. As a result of the fraud, she received nearly $50,000 in cash, including money that was meant for rent and emergency living expenses for Hurricane Ian survivors.
The agency is focused on ensuring disaster assistance reaches eligible survivors and communities quickly while preventing scammers from exploiting FEMA disaster assistance programs. FEMA will continue to review and refine disaster assistance application processes to ensure responsible stewardship of federal resources and support for communities in need.
If you suspect fraud, visit and report it to the DHS OIG Hotline webpage or email FEMA’s Fraud Investigations and Inspections Division at StopFEMAFraud@fema.dhs.gov.
 FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness recently hosted its 11th annual Tribal Nations Training Week from Sept. 13-18, in Anniston, Alabama. More than 280 students representing 65 tribal nations attended.
The training focused on disaster readiness and emergency response. Students took courses on hazardous material response, addressing emerging threats and other public safety topics. Students in healthcare-focused courses concluded the week with a large-scale mass casualty exercise.
The 2026 theme was, “Strengthening Indigenous Readiness, Honoring Sovereignty and Achieving Resilience Through an All-Hazards Approach.” The training week was developed by a working group that included tribal nation responders and representatives from the Rural Domestic Preparedness Consortium and the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium.
For more information about the Center for Domestic Preparedness and its training opportunities, visit cdp.dhs.gov.
Stand Ready for Earthquakes: Participate in the Great ShakeOut Drill on October 15
The world’s largest earthquake drill takes place each year at 10:15 a.m. (your local time) on Thursday, Oct. 15. Encourage your friends, family and colleagues to participate in the 2026 Great ShakeOut earthquake drill! You can spread awareness of earthquake safety by sharing your ShakeOut participation. Take a photo and mention ShakeOut and earthquake safety in your post.
Participation in the ShakeOut drill allows each of us to take proactive steps before an earthquake. Additionally, by encouraging others to do the same, we can all contribute to the safety, security and resilience of the nation.
To learn more about ShakeOut, visit ShakeOut.org. You can also text “shakeout” to 43362 to receive texts from FEMA about earthquake readiness tips and safety information.
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Apply by October 15 for the 2027 Vanguard Crisis Leaders Fellowship
Senior executives and experienced crisis leaders are invited to apply to FEMA's 2027 Vanguard Executive Crisis Leaders Fellowship by Thursday, Oct. 15. FEMA’s National Disaster and Emergency Management University will offer a two-week, senior-level leadership program to support leaders from government, academia, non-governmental, philanthropic and private sector organizations to strengthen the skills needed to lead through complex, uncertain and rapidly changing crises.
Week one will be held at a rotating, offsite location. Week two will be held in Washington, D.C. and typically includes visits with elected officials and Department of Homeland Security and FEMA leadership. The 2027 Vanguard Fellowship schedule is below:
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Cohort 13:
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Week One: Feb.1-5, 2027, in Nashville, Tennessee.
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Week Two: Feb. 22-26, 2027, in Washington, D.C.
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Cohort 14:
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Week One: March 15-19, 2027, in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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Week Two: April 12-16, 2027, in Washington, D.C.
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Cohort 15:
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Week One: May 10-14, 2027, in Denver, Colorado.
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Week Two: June 21-25, 2027, in Washington, D.C.
For more information and application instructions, visit the Vanguard Executive Crisis Leaders Fellowship webpage.
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Learn How to Build Safer at the Big Build Event on October 17
FEMA will participate in the annual Big Build event on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C. The Big Build is a free, family-friendly event that gives visitors of all ages an interactive look at how homes, buildings and communities are designed and built through hands-on activities and demonstrations.
The event brings together professionals from across the building industry, including construction, engineering, architecture and skilled trades. FEMA will help visitors explore how natural hazards can affect homes and communities and show how building science can reduce damage and protect lives.
Registration is required for the Big Build event. To register and learn more, visit the National Building Museum webpage.
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FEMA Corps Team Member Applications Due October 19
The FEMA Corps program is accepting applications for its 2027 class of future emergency managers. Following a review and refocus to align with FEMA’s core mission and the Trump Administration's priorities, the program will select about 80 members and 10 team leaders to serve from February 2027 to November 2027. The team leader application deadline has passed, but the team member application deadline is Monday, Oct. 19.
Apply to be a FEMA Corps Member:
FEMA Corps graduates may receive an education award upon completion, which can be used for tuition or student loans and relocation expenses. Additionally, FEMA Corps members receive paid housing and a weekly stipend for food and living expenses, all while being deployed to serve communities in need across the country. To learn more, visit AmeriCorps NCCC.
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FEMA, Federal Communications Commission Schedule
Nationwide 2026 Emergency Alert System Test for November 17
FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission, will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Nov. 17. Through this test, FEMA will assess how participating broadcasters and other communications providers receive and relay a national test message to the public.
FEMA is required by law to conduct a nationwide test of the public alert and warning system at least once every three years. These tests evaluate the operational readiness and effectiveness of external Emergency Alert System participants and the infrastructure they use to relay national emergency messages to the public. Emergency Alert System participants include thousands of radio and television broadcasters, cable systems, satellite radio and television providers and wireline video providers.
The test message will state, “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 2:20 to 2:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” The test message may be delivered as audio, on-screen text or both, depending on the provider. After the test concludes, normal programming will resume.
In the coming weeks, FEMA will host webinars for broadcasters and radio operators participating in the test. Additional details will be posted on the FEMA.gov Events Page.
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