Funding
What type of funding does the MBFTE have available?
The Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education (MBFTE) receives funds from the Minnesota Fire Service Advisory Committee; the appointed body that distributes funds from the Fire Safety Account. It is from this source that the MBFTE currently has funding to reimburse firefighter training and education.
In 2006 the Minnesota Legislature repealed the Fire Marshal Tax, which had been collected for more than 70 years but was hidden from consumers because it was included in the price of new homeowner insurance premiums. The “Fire Safety Surcharge” which replaced the Fire Marshal Tax is separately stated on premium notices and is equal to .65% of their overall premium. Funds collected are put into the Fire Safety Account and pay for the majority of the budget of the State Fire Marshal’s office, the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education and for grants for fire related regional response team programs and other fire service programs that have the potential for statewide impact.
In March 2009 the Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education’s first Request for Reimbursement provided Minnesota fire departments with approximately $840,000.00 for training. The funds came from the State Fire Safety Account and were provided in response to fire department requests of more than $2,400,000 to assist in providing training in courses ranging from entry level firefighter courses such as Firefighter 1 & 2 to more specialized courses such as hazardous materials training.
How do I find out about funding opportunities?
The next funding cycle will open in August 1, 2009. The instructions and forms are available above.
How often does the MBFTE award reimbursement dollars to fire departments?
Since this is a new program we have not yet established a schedule, but the next Request for Reimbursement is expected to open in August 2009. The timing of the Request for Reimbursements varies depending upon the actions of legislature and Board schedules.
Who is eligible for training reimbursement?
Minnesota Fire Departments. "Fire department" means a regularly organized fire department, fire protection district, or fire company regularly charged with the responsibility of providing fire protection to the state or a local government and includes a private nonprofit fire department directly serving a local government. It does not include industrial fire brigades. A "Firefighter" means a volunteer, paid on-call, part-time, or career firefighter serving a general population within the boundaries of the state.
What type of training is reimbursed?
The Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training and Education will consider Requests for Reimbursement applications for training that meets the following requirements:
1. Reimbursable Classes:
- All National Fire Academy Classes, all Federal FEMA classes dealing with Incident Command (i.e. IS 100, 200, 300, etc.)
- NFPA 472 – Standard for Competence of Responders to Hazardous Materials/Weapons of Mass Incidents (i.e. Haz-Mat Awareness, Operations)
- NFPA 1001 - Standards for Firefighter Professional Qualifications (i.e. Firefighter I & II classes - currently only Live Fires that are part of NFPA 1001 course FF I & II)
- NFPA 1002 - Standard for Fire Apparatus Driver/Operator Professional Qualifications (i.e. Pumping, Driving, Water Supply, EVOC), NFPA 1003 - Standard for Airport Firefighting Professional Qualifications
- NFPA 1021 – Standard for Fire Officer Professional Qualifications (i.e. Tactics & Strategies, Command, Leadership), NFPA 1031 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Inspector & Plan Examiner (i.e. Building Inspections, Construction)
- NFPA 1033 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Investigator (i.e. Arson classes, Fire Investigation classes, BCA classes
- NFPA 1035 - Standard for Professional Qualification for Public Educator & Life Safety Educator
- NFPA 1037 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Fire Marshal, NFPA 1041 – Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications
- NFPA 1051 – Standard for Wildland Firefighter Professional Qualifications (i.e. S-130, S-190)
- NFPA 1051 – Standard for Professional Qualifications for Public Safety Telecommunicator
- NFPA 1407 – Standard for Fire Service Rapid Intervention Crews (i.e. RIT training)
- NFPA 1670 – Standard on Operations and Training for Technical Search & Rescue Incidents. (i.e. Rope Rescue –high & low angle, Structural Collapse Rescue, Confined Space Rescue, Vehicle Rescue, Water & Ice Rescue, Wilderness Search & Rescue, Trench & Excavation Rescue, Machinery Rescue, Cave Rescue, Mine & Tunnel Rescue, Helicopter Rescue)
- All OSHA Classes Required (i.e. Blood-borne Pathogen, Right-to-Know)
2) Training and education conducted by an instructor of record with the following credentials:
- Five years experience as an instructor in the discipline for which reimbursement is requested
- Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2, and Instructor 1 Certification or Bachelors or Master’s degree in adult education and certification in discipline
- the equivalent of five years active firefighter.
