Tennessee Fire Marshal’s Office announces $5 million grant program for Tennessee’s rescue squads
PRESS RELEASE:
Tennessee Fire Marshal’s Office Announces $5 Million Grant Program for Tennessee’s Rescue Squads
NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) and the Tennessee State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) proudly announce that applications from rescue squads will be accepted starting on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, for $5 million in grant funding through the Rescue Squad Grant Program.
Over 90 rescue squads serve Tennessee communities, providing a range of specialized emergency lifesaving services including extrication, structural collapse response, and swift water rescue.
In 2022, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly approved the funding of this program for the purchase of equipment to be used by Tennessee rescue squads. Grant awards may be used to buy equipment for incident response and to protect the lives of squad members. Through two earlier grant cycles, the program provided $5 million in grants to applicants.
The $5 million allocation for 2026 is the single largest allocation for the Rescue Squad Grant Program to date.
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office is committed to fulfilling Governor Lee’s vision of strengthening Tennessee’s rural communities where rescue squads play a vital role in protecting the lives and property of residents,” said Tennessee State Fire Marshal and TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence. “The Rescue Squad Grant Program provides critical resources to Tennessee’s rescue squads so that they might better serve their communities.”
“Reliable and effective equipment is vital to the mission of Tennessee’s rescue squads, and our entire team is proud to be associated with this program,” said Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Mike Bell. “I remind rescue squad members to contact our team directly should they have questions about completing their application ahead of the February 20, 2026, deadline.”
To apply, rescue squads must have an active registration with the Tennessee Secretary of State and provide a letter stating they are recognized by the local government to provide rescue squad services.
Applications received during the submission period will be scored internally and submitted to a seven-member committee who will oversee the award selection. The committee is composed of six members from the Tennessee Rescue Squad Association and TDCI’s Assistant Commissioner of Fire Prevention.
Applicants should remember the following important dates:
Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 6 p.m. CT. Instructional webinar.
Friday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. CT. Deadline to submit applications.
Friday, March 27 at 2 p.m. CT. Rescue Squad grants announced.
Questions? Contact Grants Director Loren Haynes (615) 806-3725 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT or by email at loren.haynes@tn.gov.
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