OSFC Newsletter | September 2026

In this issue:

📝 Unconventional Gas Well Grant Opens Today!

The Office of the State Fire Commissioner is excited to announce that $250,000 in Act 13 Unconventional Gas Well Fund (UGWF) grants is now available to help fire, rescue, and EMS agencies prepare for unconventional gas well incidents.

Application Window:

Opens Wednesday, September 30, 2026

Closes Monday, November 30, 2026 at 4:00 PM

These grants support specialized training, certification, and equipment for emergency personnel in counties with unconventional gas wells and those that border them. Eligible projects include national certification, gas well incident equipment, air monitoring tools, and training courses through the PA State Fire Academy.

If your department serves one of the eligible counties, be sure to apply!

📝 Required Department of State Registrations for Nonprofits

Please be aware that all nonprofit fire/EMS organizations must register annually with the PA Department of State or risk administrative dissolution under Act 122 of 2022 (15 Pa.C.S. §146). Please ensure compliance. To register, visit the link below:

👥 NEW Recruitment & Retention: New Staffing Models Page

The OSFC’s Recruitment & Retention team has launched a Staffing Models page featuring example organizational structures for Pennsylvania fire departments of all types—volunteer, combination, and career. Models include:Multi-department councils of governments, Department mergers, Township oversight, Commission-led boards. This resource is ideal for departments aiming to optimize staffing and operations.

📱 NEW Emergency Networking Mobile App

OSFC’s incident-reporting provider now offers an iPad app for field incident entry.

🏠 PA Insurance Department Proposal: AAIS “FLAMES”

On August 27, 2026, the Pennsylvania Insurance Department received from American Association of Insurance Services (AAIS), a rate/rule filing with proposed revisions for homeowners insurance. AAIS proposes to introduce its new Fire Loss Assignment and Mitigation Evaluation Score (FLAMES). To learn more about this proposal and submit comments, follow the link below.

🎓 PHEAA Active Volunteer Tuition & Loan Assistance

Pennsylvania’s Active Volunteer Program offers tuition or loan assistance to eligible volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel enrolled in degree or certificate programs, including graduate studies, at approved PA institutions. Tuition can also be used to pay for entry level fire training and firefighter 1 certification. Make sure to take advantage of this incredible resource!

Applications for the 2026–27 academic year are accepted until May 1, 2027. Dates for firefighter training and certification may differ. Contact a PHEAA representative to find out more. 

🔥 2026 Fire Prevention Week Begins Oct 4

Don't forget to participate in Fire Prevention week next week. This year's theme: Charge Into Fire Safety: Safe Charging Is a Superpower! – highlighting safe charging habits for lithium‑ion batteries. Resources include official toolkits, safety tips, family activities, classroom resources, and a free on‑demand NFPA webinar to learn more about the theme.

🗓️ Dates: October 4–10, 2026

📄 L&I + OSFC Junior Firefighter Agreement

We are pleased to announce that the Office of the State Fire Commissioner and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry have signed a Letter of Understanding that clarifies our agencies’ interpretation of Act 155 as it relates to the training of 17-year-old junior firefighters.

Signed by L&I Secretary Nancy A. Walker and State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook, the agreement ensures that our departments are united in supporting safe, appropriate, and lawful training opportunities for young Pennsylvanians who are preparing to serve their communities as firefighters.

By memorializing a mutual interpretation of the law, this Letter of Understanding strengthens our partnership, improves statewide consistency, and reinforces our commitment to protecting minor workers, public safety, and youth workforce development.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort. Your dedication helped us reach a clear, collaborative resolution that will benefit fire departments and junior firefighters across the Commonwealth.

If you have questions about how this agreement affects firefighter training, please contact the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy for additional information and guidance. A copy of the letter can be found at the link below.