Washington, D.C., November 24, 2025 — The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI), together with its National Advisory Committee (NAC), today released a comprehensive report titled FEMA Reform: Recommendations from America’s Fire and Emergency Services. The report outlines critical steps the federal government must take to strengthen national preparedness, enhance FEMA’s effectiveness, and support the nation’s one million firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel.
CFSI’s recommendations emphasize that America’s fire and emergency services are not only the backbone of local emergency response but constitute a critical national capability, recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as one of the nation’s 16 critical infrastructure sectors. Fire departments protect not only communities but also the critical infrastructure upon which the nation’s economy, security, and public health rely.
The report highlights several urgent needs, including:
- Elevating the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) and expanding its role within FEMA.
- Strengthening FEMA’s Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) system and ensuring timely reimbursement to USAR task force teams for costs.
- Modernizing national fire data systems, particularly through the implementation of the National Emergency Response Information System (NERIS).
- Enhancing federal wildfire mitigation and response programs, including rapid post-fire assistance.
- Protecting and fully funding core FEMA grant programs, including AFG and SAFER, which provide essential equipment, staffing, training, and preparedness resources to local agencies.
As local fire departments and EMS agencies face increasing equipment and training costs, increasingly complex hazards, and strained budgets, sustained federal support is essential to America’s emergency response capabilities. With FEMA’s future being examined by Congress and the Administration, it is essential that the federal partnership with America’s fire and emergency services is strongly maintained. National resilience depends on local readiness. Any FEMA reforms must strengthen the federal commitment to the fire and emergency services that safeguard millions of Americans every day.
The full report can be viewed here.
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About CFSI – The Congressional Fire Services Institute (CFSI) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that serves as a bridge between the U.S. fire service and the federal government, providing policy analysis, education, and advocacy on issues critical to the fire service. CFSI works to improve public safety, strengthen fire and emergency services resources, and promote the welfare of first responders and the communities they serve.