Congressional Research Service IF11507.1 (Funding for Firefighters for COVID-19 Response)

Summary

A Congressional Research Service product, IF11507 (version 1), dated April 15, 2020, on funding for firefighters responding to COVID-19. It states that firefighter personnel providing emergency medical services serve as first responders, and that challenges for firefighters, many of whom are volunteers, include a lack of personal protective equipment and a high likelihood of exposure to the virus. It says Congress has provided emergency funding to assist firefighters responding to COVID-19 calls and that additional congressional action may be considered. A figure shows data from 2,193 U.S. fire departments reporting to the International Association of Fire Chiefs as of April 10, 2020, and notes there are about 27,000 fire departments in the United States, most (71%) all-volunteer.

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April 15, 2020
Funding for Firefighters for COVID-19 Response
COVID-19 is a contagious disease caused by a novel Figure 1. IAFC COVID-19 Dashboard
coronavirus that originated in China in late 2019. It spread U.S. firefighters affected by the coronavirus (April 10, 2020)
rapidly around the globe, and on March 11, 2020, the
World Health Organization declared the situation a
pandemic. In the United States, by the end of March 2020,
the disease had spread to all 50 states, the District of
Columbia, and all U.S. territories except American Samoa.

Firefighter personnel providing emergency medical services
(EMS) serve as first responders to calls for help from those
who are infected. Challenges for firefighters, many of
whom are volunteers, include a lack of personal protective
equipment (PPE) and a high likelihood of exposure to the
virus. This can lead to health impacts and staffing shortages
due to long quarantine or recovery periods. Congress has Source: International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), “COVID-19
provided emergency funding to assist firefighters Fire and Emergency Medical Services Personnel Impact Dashboard,”
responding to COVID-19 calls, and additional accessed April 10, 2020, https://iafc.maps.arcgis.com/ apps/
congressional action may be considered. opsdashboard/index.html#/ 3813d2f872224d8a93c52f05cd392b8c.
Notes: This graphic shows data from 2,193 U.S. fire departments
Impact of COVID-19 on Firefighter reporting COVID-19 data to the IAFC, as of April 10, 2020. Per the
Personnel U.S. Fire Administration, there are about 27,000 fire departments in
As the coronavirus spreads across the United States, people the United States. Most (71%) are all-volunteer and may have limited
are turning to doctors, hospitals, and other health facilities capacity to report data. Hence, data may not reflect all U.S. firefighter
for diagnosis and treatment. People displaying early or mild personnel affected. EMS= Emergency Medical Services, including
symptoms are often sent home to isolate, rest, and recover. Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and paramedics.
Some people develop serious or life-threatening symptoms
and call 9-1-1, where call takers may dispatch local fire The guidance recommended the use of PPE, procedures for
departments to assist. Firefighter personnel, who include treating and transporting patients, and decontamination
emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, procedures. However, as the virus spread globally and
provide emergency medical services to people in their supply chains became strained, fire departments have had
homes and may transport them to hospitals. Firefighter difficulty finding the recommended PPE and supplies. In a
personnel can be exposed to and infected by the virus survey of 288 fire departments conducted by the IAFC, fire
through these close interactions. departments indicated their highest priority needs were N95
respirator masks, gowns, surgical masks, decontamination
As the number of U.S. COVID-19 cases has increased, the supplies, eye protection, and gloves, in that order (as of
number of firefighters affected has as well. The April 10), and 90% indicated that they had altered
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) developed procedures as a result of shortages.
a dashboard to show the number of firefighter personnel
exposed, quarantined, and diagnosed with COVID-19 in the Since firefighters can be exposed on the job, at home, and
United States. On March 13, 2020, when IAFC launched in the community, departments are monitoring personnel
the dashboard, there were 44 fire departments reporting, 55 for signs of the virus to avoid transmission to others in the
personnel exposed, 46 in quarantine, and 1 diagnosed with community and in firehouses. Some fire departments isolate
the coronavirus. On April 10, 2020, there were almost staff who may have been exposed to the virus, which can
2,200 fire departments reporting, over 10,500 personnel lead to staffing shortages. While the CDC has issued
exposed, 4,852 in quarantine, and 575 firefighter personnel guidance advising that essential workers may be permitted
tested and diagnosed with the coronavirus (Figure 1). to continue work following potential exposure to COVID-
19 provided they are asymptomatic and are monitored, the
In March 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and IAFC is pressing for prioritization of testing for firefighters
Prevention (CDC) released Interim Guidance for to determine if a firefighter has the coronavirus and needs
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems and 911 to be isolated and treated or can return to work.
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) for COVID-19 in
the United States, which provides recommendations for COVID-19 Funding for Firefighter
EMS workers responding to suspected COVID-19 calls. Personnel
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Funding for Firefighters for COVID-19 Response

Act (P.L. 116-136), which appropriates more than $2 the COVID-19 supplemental ($100 million), not all fire
trillion to sustain the nation during the COVID-19 departments that apply may receive funding through AFG.
pandemic. The act provides specific funding for
firefighters, including: Third, current AFG program requirements may inhibit the
use of this supplemental grant funding for COVID-19
 $100 million for the Assistance to Firefighter Grants response. For example, under the current AFG program, no
(AFG) Program to provide funding to fire departments grant funds may be used for salaries or overtime wages, or
for COVID-19 expenses, including PPE, supplies, and costs incurred before the grant was awarded. AFG funds
reimbursements related to the response. may not be used for expendable supplies (e.g., medical
gowns, gloves, disinfectants). AFG requires applicants to
 $7 million for the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to provide provide matching funds, which may be challenging for fire
PPE and baseline testing for USFS/wildland firefighters. departments, particularly small, rural, and volunteer fire
departments. FEMA may alter program requirements to
COVID-19 Funding for State and Local extend the use of AFG funds for COVID-19 related costs,
Entities but until guidance is issued, it is difficult to predict which
CARES also provides state and local entities responding to requirements may be waived and how other aspects, such as
the COVID-19 crisis with funding that could potentially reimbursements, may be handled.
assist local fire departments, including:
Fourth, while significant funding was provided under the
 $100 million for the Emergency Management CARES Act, much of it is funneled through state and local
Performance Grant (EMPG) Program, which provides entities. Thus, there is no certainty that fire departments
funding for state emergency management agencies will receive supplies from these entities. For example, state
(EMA) for COVID-19 planning and preparedness costs, EMAs are to receive funding through the EMPG, and may
including the purchase of PPE and emergency supplies. purchase PPE and supplies; fire departments can request
supplies from the state EMA but, given competing
 $45 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund to reimburse demands, there is no certainty that fire departments will
states and local entities for COVID-19 costs, including receive supplies. In an IAFC survey, 55% of 288 fire
overtime and backfill costs, PPE, supplies such as departments surveyed reported that states had advised them
disinfectants and medical supplies, and apparatus usage. that they could not supply requested items (April 10, 2020).
The federal government covers 75% of these costs.
Congressional Considerations
 $100 billion for the Department of Health and Human As Congress considers additional actions to support the
Services to reimburse eligible healthcare providers for COVID-19 response, it may consider the needs of local fire
eligible healthcare expenses. This may include departments providing emergency medical services to
unreimbursed costs incurred by fire departments and people in communities. Options for assistance could include
EMS agencies in transporting a patient to a hospital. the following:

 At least $16 billion to augment the Strategic National  Providing additional funding specifically for fire
Stockpile (SNS) supplies of PPE and other medical items, departments, similar to the $850 million for the Edward
which are distributed to states for use by local health Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant program
agencies, hospitals and other healthcare providers during included in the CARES Act to provide funding to state
emergencies. and local governments to assist with the criminal justice
system’s COVID-19 response.
Challenges with Funding
Following the appropriation of funds for these programs,  Adding provisions to new or existing laws to require or
implementation challenges may remain. encourage state and local recipients of COVID-19
funding to consider, prioritize, or designate a portion of
First, the distribution of funding will take time. For their funding or supplies for firefighter needs.
example, to award AFG funds, the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) must issue a grant notice;  Dedicating supplies from the SNS.
fire departments must apply; applications must undergo
peer review; and grant agreements must be signed before  Permitting flexibilities in grants, such as allowing state
funds are made available. For fire departments facing and local grantees to repurpose federal grant funding to
shortfalls in PPE, supplies, and funding, AFG grants may meet firefighter needs; approving waivers of cost-share;
not be awarded in time to address immediate needs. allowing purchase of expendable supplies; and expanding
the economic hardship waiver during the emergency.
Second, AFG is a competitive grant program, which means
that not all applicants may receive funding. In the annual  Prioritizing firefighters for virus testing so they can either
grant cycle, Congress appropriates three times the amount be treated or cleared so that they may return to work.
of funding for AFG—$350 million each year for the past
several years—than provided by CARES, and FEMA Jill C. Gallagher, Analyst in Telecommunications Policy
consistently receives more in requests than it has funding to Brian E. Humphreys, Analyst in Science and Technology
support. Thus, it is likely that, given the level of funding for Policy

https://crsreports.congress.gov
Funding for Firefighters for COVID-19 Response

IF11507

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