FEMA has opened a second round of COVID-19 response grants as part of its Supplemental Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program, to help provide support to fire departments who continue to deal with challenges related to the ongoing situation with COVID-19. These FY20 AFG-S grants are available only to volunteer and combination departments for the purchase of PPE and other supplies for COVID-19 response. Available funding is $31 million with a projected number of 500 grants to be awarded.

Volunteer and combination fire departments are eligible to apply in the second round if they received funding in the first round. However, applications must support new or additional needs or capabilities. Applications from the first round will not automatically carry forward to the second round for consideration. Applicants requesting reimbursement or requesting immediate use of PPE will receive a higher consideration than applicants requesting funds to prepare for future response capabilities.

Individual fire departments can apply during the application period of October 6 through November 13, 2020 at 5:00 pm ET.

For AFG-S guidance documents, visit FEMA.

Respirators are among the list of Items eligible for this grant program, including any NIOSH-approved particulate respirator (i.e., N-95 or higher-level respirator) and filters.

MSA products that meet this requirement are:

• Advantage 200 & 420 half masks with P100 filters
• G1 SCBA Facepiece with APR adapter and P100 filters
• G1 Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) and filters
• OptimAir TL Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR) and filters

For more information about PPE for firefighters from MSA, visit MSAfire.com.