OSFC Newsletter | April 2026

In this issue:

ICYMI: Governor Shapiro Highlighted Grant included in 26-27 Budget Proposal at Dickson City Event with Commissioner Cook

In Case You Missed It: Last month during a visit to the Dickson City Fire Department, Governor Shapiro, alongside State Fire Commissioner Thomas Cook, highlighted the Governor's latest budget proposal, which would significantly expand funding for fire departments across Pennsylvania. For the second year in a row, the Governor’s 2026-27 proposed budget includes a new $30 million investment — nearly doubling annual funding for fire departments — in competitive grants.

These grants will provide critical financial support to both volunteer and career fire departments statewide by funding major equipment purchases, training, facility improvements, debt reduction, and other essential operational expenses

OSFC Launches National Firefighter Registry for Cancer Challenge

Stand up. Take the challenge. Be counted. Be part of the solution.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of firefighter deaths nationwide. In partnership with NIOSH and the National Firefighter Registry (NFR) for Cancer, the Office of the State Fire Commissioner is launching a statewide challenge to increase participation in this critical initiative.

Our goal:
Register as many current and former Pennsylvania firefighters as possible and reach 1,000 Gold Helmet Departments by the end of 2026.

Who should register? Active, retired, career or volunteer firefighters with or without a cancer diagnosis

Registration takes about 30 minutes and will contribute to life-saving research for generations to come.

For department leaders:

🏅 Gold Helmet Departments
Gold Helmet Departments are recognized by NIOSH for enrolling 50% of active firefighters or more than 300 active firefighters in the NFR. Gold Helmet Departments receive:

💻 Upcoming Webinars on April 6: Municipal FD and Emergency Service Training Center Capital Grants

Join us for an upcoming webinar to learn more about these two critical funding opportunities. This is a great chance to better understand eligibility, allowable uses, and how to prepare a strong application.

Each session will include an overview of these grants and offer a Q&A at the end to answer questions. The webinar will be recorded and shared with all registrants who are unable to attend live.

📊 In-Person PennFIRS / NERIS Reporting Training

If you or your team are responsible for incident reporting, don’t miss our remaining 6 regional, in-person training opportunities announced on Facebook earlier this month. No registration required! These sessions are designed to help ensure your department remains compliant and confident in reporting requirements. All locations, dates and times can be found at the link below.

What you’ll learn:

📝 Fire Company & EMS Grant Agreement Reminder

If your department applied for the Fire Company and EMS Grant Program this past October, grant agreements are now available to sign.

Please log into your grant account to review and complete your agreement as soon as possible to avoid delays. Grant agreements must be signed by 4pm on May 31!

Important Dates