Virginia Department
of Forestry

The Virginia Department of Forestry (VDOF) is heavily reliant on the assistance of fire departments throughout the Commonwealth for the efficient response to wildfire emergencies. In support of this key cooperator group, the VDOF provides at least four key programs which provide support and resources to rural fire departments.

Two programs focus on equipment assistance for fire departments.

Federal Firefighter Property Program

Thanks to a Federal Firefighter Property program administered by the USDA Forest Service, VDOF is able to acquire and loan vehicles and equipment to rural fire departments which are designed to increase the capacity of these departments to respond to wildfires throughout the Commonwealth.

Read more about the Federal Firefighter Property program.

Dry Fire Hydrant Grant Program

State funding available from the Fire Programs fund provides Virginia with a Dry Fire Hydrant grant program. Virginia’s Dry Fire Hydrant grant program works to provide a more available and reliable rural water supply in support of firefighting needs. The program provides 100% of the cost of installation of new hydrants at approved sites throughout the Commonwealth.

Read more about the Dry Fire Hydrant grant program.

Firefighting Training

VDOF also provides numerous training opportunities on a local, regional, and state level, for agency wildfire cooperators throughout the Commonwealth. The training uses national standard course work to provide increased capacity in the areas of wildfire suppression and emergency incident management. One key goal of this training is to provide educational opportunities for members of rural fire departments to facilitate more efficient wildfire suppression and management.

Read more about firefighter training opportunities.

Volunteer Fire Assistance Grants

Finally, VDOF provides the Volunteer Fire Assistance (VFA) grant program. The program provides a 50% cost reimbursement for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE), tools, and equipment for rural volunteer fire departments. As a key cooperator in the suppression of nearly every Virginia wildfire, this program allows the agency to provide critically needed federal funding to directly support fire departments in the Commonwealth.

Learn more about the Volunteer Fire Assistance program.

Additional Resources

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