AMHERST CO., Va. – Fire departments across Virginia are grappling with a mounting crisis of rising costs and dwindling volunteer forces, prompting a renewed legislative push for a $12.5 million annual funding solution.
After falling short in committee last session, the Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program bill, championed by State Sen. Tammy Mulchi (R-District 9), is gaining renewed attention in Richmond.
“This isn’t a Democrat versus Republican issue. This is a bipartisan issue,” Mulchi said. “People that live in urban areas that can afford to pay their firefighters don’t understand our rural areas that are operating on small budgets.”
The proposed legislation would split funding between two critical needs. Half would provide need-based grants to fully-volunteer fire departments to create paid positions, while the remaining funds would support fire and EMS departments’ equipment purchases.
Amherst County Fire & EMS Chief Bradley Beam has witnessed the escalating challenges firsthand during his decades of service across the Commonwealth.
“There’s a lot of things that we need funding for. Whether that’s for staffing, volunteer recruitment, volunteer retention. But the biggest one is equipment,” Beam said.
The financial strain on volunteer departments has become particularly acute with equipment costs soaring. Fire gear that once cost $2,000 now carries a $6,000 price tag, while fire truck prices have more than doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Usually, our volunteer fire departments were able to fundraise and cover the cost of a lot of this. Well, that’s quickly getting out of their ability to pay for,” Beam said.
Mulchi’s bill aims to address these mounting pressures on rural fire services. “We’re hoping some of those funds can help offset some of the costs, take the costs off the locality and off of our volunteer fire departments who are trying to fundraise for equipment,” Beam explained.
The senator expressed optimism about the bill’s prospects this session, noting, “It already has a lot of recognition from last year. The momentum is growing.”
For Virginia’s volunteer fire departments, particularly those in rural communities, the bill’s passage could provide crucial relief as they continue to face escalating costs and staffing challenges.