Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) HQ Financial Assistance Awards program awarded $1.17 million to the First Responder Center For Excellence For Reducing Occupational Illness, Injuries, And Deaths, Inc. on October 1, 2025, under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program (CFDA 97.044). The two-year project, with completion targeted for September 30, 2027, will be performed in Crofton, Maryland. The Center will deliver comprehensive firefighter safety initiatives including targeted training programs, development of occupational illness and injury prevention educational materials, and technical assistance to fire departments nationwide implementing hazard mitigation strategies.

As a nonprofit organization specializing in firefighter occupational safety, the Center leverages its established expertise to advance fire prevention and safety outcomes across the emergency response community. This award represents the fourth major AFG project grant to the organization since 2021, demonstrating FEMA's continued confidence in the Center's capacity to execute federally-funded safety programs. The Center's work includes strategic partnerships with research institutions, such as its collaboration with Skidmore College on the FRESH project, through which it provides project oversight, conducts research translation activities, and develops educational materials for fire service professionals.