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The application period for $360 million available through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants will close on Thursday, July 3, at 5 p.m. ET.
FEMA also will stop taking applications at that time for $36 million available through the FY24 Fire Prevention and Safety grants, which empower states and localities to manage disasters and emergencies.
The SAFER grant program awards funds directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations across the nation to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their community.
During 2024, there were approximately 4,200 home fire fatalities in the United States, including 61 firefighters. To help keep communities and firefighters safe, FEMA will award SAFER funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards, attain 24-hour staffing, provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards and fulfill traditional missions of fire departments.
The Fire Prevention and Safety grant program helps strengthen community fire prevention programs and supports scientific research on innovations that improve firefighter safety, health and well-being.
Since 2005, the SAFER program has awarded approximately $5.2 billion in grant funding. The Fire Prevention and Safety program has awarded nearly $900 million since its inception in 2002.
The FY24 SAFER and the Fire Prevention and Safety Notices of Funding Opportunity and technical assistance documents for both programs are available at Grants.gov and on FEMA.gov websites at SAFER and Fire Prevention and Safety. Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on FEMA.gov.
The Department of Homeland Security announced more than $94.4 million to 512 Jewish faith-based organizations across the United States through its National Security Supplemental.
This money, part of the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, will be used to help these organizations harden their defenses against attacks. The funding was appropriated by Congress in response to a surge in antisemitic threats linked to the Israel-Hamas war. All faith-based institutions were eligible to apply for grant funding to help defend themselves from threats including houses of worship, educational facilities, medical facilities, community centers and other faith-based institutions.
FEMA published an updated Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide, which defines how state, local, tribal and territorial government officials and FEMA staff collect, validate, quantify and document the cause, location and details of damage following a disaster.
Changes within the updated guide should be used immediately for any incidents that take place on or after July 1. This Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide supersedes all previous versions.
State, local, tribal and territorial governments, as well as certain nonprofits, are encouraged to review the updated Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide. The guide helps emergency management officials at all levels of government efficiently complete accurate and consistent preliminary damage assessments that align with Stafford Act presidential disaster declaration request requirements.
Updates to the guide include consolidating methodologies for conducting Individual Assistance and Public Assistance joint preliminary damage assessments, expanding on the importance of completing the initial damage assessment, consolidating roles and responsibilities and incorporating new policy and programmatic requirements, among other revisions.
To learn more and watch a video series on the guide's process, visit FEMA’s YouTube channel.
For a list of the major changes, please refer to the Preliminary Damage Assessment Guide 's Summary of Changes.
FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness will host the inaugural Law Enforcement Training Week Sept. 8-12, featuring training focused on public order policing and mass casualty incident response.
The weeklong training for law enforcement responders will culminate in an Integrated Capstone Event, a comprehensive exercise where students work together in response to simulated incidents.
All state, local, tribal and territorial law enforcement and sworn officers are eligible to attend, with special consideration given to those in jurisdictions hosting or supporting the 2026 Super Bowl and 2026 World Cup.
For a complete list of courses and registration information, visit Law Enforcement Training Week.
Center for Domestic Preparedness training for state, local, tribal and territorial emergency responders is fully funded, including round-trip transportation, meals and lodging.
FEMA’s National Disaster and Emergency Management University resumed in-person residential training at the National Emergency Training Center campus in Emmitsburg, Maryland, and has immediate vacancies for Fiscal Year 2025 course offerings.
The National Disaster and Emergency Management University also released its full catalog of Fiscal Year 2026 training opportunities.
Whether you are building foundational expertise or sharpening executive-level skills, the available courses deliver relevant, high-quality instruction that supports communities across the nation by building more resilient and capable state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management agencies.
Visit fema.training.gov to explore the course list and register today. Apply early—seats are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Attending training at the National Disaster and Emergency Management University can benefit emergency management professionals by offering:
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Wide-ranging in-person and virtual options for federal, state, local, tribal and territorial emergency management professionals and partners.
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Specialized coursework aligned with current policies, practices and technologies.
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Programs for every career stage, from entry-level practitioners to senior leaders.
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Advanced courses for senior professionals, focusing on strategic decision making, public information, advancement of strategic and policy level executive leadership, and operational planning.
Interested emergency management professionals may submit questions by sending an email to fema.training.gov or by visiting FEMA's National Disaster and Emergency Management University LinkedIn page for training updates.
Arkansans Affected by March Severe Storms and Tornadoes Should Apply for FEMA Assistance by July 14
Individuals who sustained losses in the designated areas of Arkansas who were affected by severe storms and tornadoes from March 14-15, should apply for federal disaster assistance by July 14.
Affected individuals should first file claims with their insurance providers, then apply for assistance. The fastest way to apply is online at DisasterAssistance.gov or the Spanish language site DisasterAssistance.gov/es.
If you need more information or additional help:
- Download the FEMA App.
- Call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362 for assistance in multiple languages. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, provide FEMA the number for that service.
For more information, visit fema.gov/disaster/4865.
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