Assistance to firefighters grant awarded to State Fire Academy

Aug 13, 2024- The Mississippi State Fire Academy (MSFA) has been awarded $438,950.79 through the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The grant helps meet the needs of fire departments, non-affiliated emergency medical service organizations, & state training facilities. This grant will be used to buy 51 Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Units (SCBAs).

“This funding will enable us to equip our students with state-of-the-art SCBA for their training, ensuring they learn with the most modern tools available. We extend our gratitude to our congressional delegation for their support in securing this vital funding. This is a significant investment in the future of Mississippi’s firefighters and a great asset to our Academy,” said Kelly Elliott, MSFA Executive Director.

“I am grateful for the grant as it will keep the fire academy’s equipment up-to-date and properly maintained,” said Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Chaney. “It will benefit the State Fire Academy and its students, but also benefits members of the fire service across our great State.”

MSFA is tasked with serving the state per MS Code Annotated Section 45-11-7: “The Academy is officially designated as the agency of this state to conduct training for fire personnel on a statewide basis to all duly constituted fire departments.”