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Bureau of Recovery & Mitigation - Recovery Section
Fire Assistance Program
- Who is Eligible?
State Agencies and Political subdivisions of the state. (city, county, and districts)
Fire Declarations are usually declared for the affected County or State Division of Forestry Fire District. State and Local Governmental costs for carrying out eligible Fire Program Grant Objectives that are incurred during an established Incident Period for a Fire Declaration, and certain other costs that arise from the fire operations, may be eligible for FEMA Assistance.
- When is it Eligible?
FEMA Fire Declarations are issued after the State's request for federal assistance for an uncontrolled fire, or complex of fires, which constitute a disaster threat to public safety and/or to improved property. FEMA Assistance, however, will not be provided to Eligible Applicants unless total costs exceed an established Fire Cost Threshold.
The Fire Cost Threshold is $855,057 for an individual Fire Declaration. Sometimes, there are multiple Fire Declarations within a Calendar Year. At which time, an Accumulative Fire Threshold is met. When a total of $2,565,172 is reached, all subsequent Fire Declarations will be eligible for assistance. The Fire Cost Threshold will be adjusted by FEMA annually.
State and Local Governmental Agencies seeking FEMA/State Fire Program Assistance for eligible costs are required to file a Request for Public Assistance (Request) , with the Department of Community Affairs, Division of Emergency Management (DEM), within 30 days after the close of the Incident Period.
All claims for reimbursement for actual eligible costs must be submitted to DEM within six months after close of the Incident Period. Please send to attention: Craig Fugate Division Director 2555 Shumard Oaks Blvd. Tallahassee, F.L. 32399-2100.
Note : No claim will be submitted for reimbursement to FEMA by DEM until it has been established that the fire emergency costs have exceeded the required Fire Cost Threshold.
- What is Eligible?
1. Wildland firefighting/firefighting support labor costs.
2. Personal safety items (protective gear, medical support, etc.) normally provided to firefighters.
3. Replacement of firefighting tools/materials that are expended or lost.
4. Restoration of unavoidable, extra-ordinary damages to equipment during the fire response, other than for routine maintenance and cleanup, that is not covered by insurance.
5. Equipment rate allowances for equipment usage including routine maintenance during fire operations.
6. Travel costs including provision of field camps/meals for personnel responding to the fire emergency.
7. Fire support costs from assisting parties under the Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement or EMAC.
8. Propositioning costs up to 21 days prior to established eligible incident period.
9. Mobilization/demobilization costs reasonably before and after incident period.
10.Wildfire mitigation limited to preventing human-caused fires or prevent damage to homes/infrastructure.
11. Restoration of damages caused by firefighting activities if repaired with 30 days after incident period. (temporary repairs to fire line, camp/staging areas, fences, buildings, roads, bridges, etc.)
12. Necessary emergency protective measures for public safety and protection of property. (including, but not limited to, police barricading, traffic control, evacuations, sheltering, search & rescue, arson prevention, arson prevention, emergency public information, EOC operations, removal of fire-damaged trees that pose a threat to public safety or improved property)
Note : Eligible Direct Costs are those costs that can be identified specifically with, and are reasonably necessary to accomplish, the above-listed Fire Program Grant Objectives. State Agencies may also be able to claim Indirect Costs as per OMB Circular A-87.
- Non Eligible costs !
1. Regular time labor costs for a Applicant's permanent employees.
2. Costs incurred in the mitigation, management, and control of undeclared fires.
3. Costs related to planning, training, road widening and similar activities, land rehabilitation or restoration of facilities other than allowed above, salvage of timber, and pre-suppression without the presence of imminent threat.
4. Costs for mitigation, management, and control of Declared Fires on co-mingled Federal land when such costs are reimbursable to the State by a Federal Agency under another Statute.
5. Total eligible costs for an Applicant are less than $1,000.
- How are costs Reimbursed ?
After a request for Assistance is approved and declared, FEMA assistance will be based upon 75% of actual eligible costs for each Fire Declaration for which total costs exceed the required Fire Cost Threshold. A State matching share may be provided if approved by the Legislature.
- Eligible costs incurred under SMAA by Assisting parties
The Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement supercedes local mutual aid agreements during major events, such as those resulting in Fire Declarations, and provides for compensation by the requesting party of 100% of eligible costs, including regular time labor, that are incurred by the assisting parties.
Wildland firefighting on public/private lands is the responsibility of the State Division of Forestry. However, other emergency work resulting from the fire response may be the responsibility of any Program Applicant.
The State will reimburse assisting parties who respond to State EOC Mission Assignments for emergency response activities that are the responsibility of the State. In order for a local governmental agency to be considered in mutual aid status while assisting the State, the following three conditions must be met:
1. A State EOC Mission Assignment has been issued requesting the assistance.
2. The assisting party has coordinated with the applicable DOF Fire Commander and has submitted any required activity reports as directed.
3. The assisting party is a participant in the Statewide Mutual Aid Agreement .
Note : Otherwise, local agencies within a Declared Fire Area may apply directly for FEMA assistance for costs for firefighting and other emergency work that is of their own responsibility. Assisting parties to local governmental agencies within a Declared Fire Area should file their claims with the requester.
