Austin, TX — In a significant boost for fire protection and emergency services in our state, the Texas Legislature has taken a bold step to support volunteer fire departments. With over 1,500 fire departments staffed mainly by volunteers, many communities, especially in rural areas, depend on these brave individuals for critical emergency response.

During the 89th Regular Session earlier this year, the Legislature allocated a historic $192 million in one-time funding to the Texas A&M Forest Service to tackle the backlog of assistance requests from volunteer fire departments. This funding is specifically aimed at requests submitted on or before November 7, 2024. In addition, the Legislature approved an extra $44 million over the next two years to help ensure continued support for our local fire departments as they face ongoing needs.

On October 14, the Texas A&M Forest Service hosted its first Funding Meeting for Fiscal Year 2026, where approximately $164 million in grants were awarded. Nearly 900 grants were distributed statewide, providing important support to Texas volunteer fire departments. Within the counties of Senate District 20—Brooks, Hidalgo, Jim Wells, and Nueces—volunteer fire departments received nearly $3 million in grants.

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, Vice Chair of the Senate Finance Committee, was a co-author of HB 500, the state’s Supplemental Appropriations Act, which included the funding for these grants. Senator Hinojosa stated, “I was proud to support HB 500 and the funding that was allocated to our volunteer fire departments who play an important role in keeping our communities and our families safe. These volunteer fire departments, especially in our rural areas, are usually the first ones to respond to wildfires or other emergencies. Providing them with the funding needed to ensure they have the tools and equipment necessary is long overdue.”

The grants awarded will fund brush trucks, slip-on units to add firefighting capability to existing vehicles, and water tenders used to transport large amounts of water to a fire scene in areas lacking fire hydrants. The 89th Legislature has also appropriated $257 million to the Texas A&M Forest Service to enhance firefighting capabilities through the purchase, maintenance, and operation of aircraft dedicated to wildfire suppression.

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