U.S. Sens. Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) on Dec. 5 introduced a bipartisan bill aimed at increasing the nation’s recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters and other first responders by offering more of them federal housing assistance, particularly if they work in rural or underserved areas of the country.
“Expanding the eligibility for qualified volunteer emergency responders to participate in federal housing assistance programs has a number of benefits,” Sen. Rounds said. “It encourages volunteering, provides agencies with a recruitment and retention tool, makes it easier for volunteer responders to remain living in their communities, and is a great way to say ‘thank you’ for their service.”
Sens. Rounds and Capito are original cosponsors of the Volunteer First Responder Housing Act, S. 2982, with bill sponsor U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to expand eligibility for qualified volunteer first responders to participate in certain federal housing assistance programs.
Sen. Capito’s office noted in a release that 65 percent of firefighters nationwide are volunteers, according to the National Fire Protection Association’s 2017 U.S. Fire Department Profile.
Many rural West Virginia communities rely on volunteer firefighters and EMS professionals, Sen. Capito added. “This bill works to address the staffing and retention issues many stations face by providing housing incentives. The goal is to encourage these local heroes to continue their brave work in their communities, and this bill will help accomplish that,” she said.
The bill has been referred for consideration to the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee.