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Committee backs grant program to fund showers, PPE and gear-washing for volunteer fire departments
Summary
House Bill 901 would establish a grant program (funded by gifts, grants and a $10 application fee) to help volunteer and small paid fire departments purchase protective equipment, extraction washers and related health-and-safety facilities; the committee heard strong support and passed the bill in executive action.
Representative Scott DeMaurice opened House Bill 901, proposing a statutorily appropriated grant account administered through the Department of Military Affairs’ Disaster and Emergency Services division to fund fire-department health and safety improvements. Eligible uses include personal protective equipment, saunas, shower facilities and extraction machines for cleaning turnout gear; grants would be capped at $10,000 and departments could receive no more than one award per year.
Supporters from firefighter organizations and local chiefs emphasized the public-health rationale: cleaner gear and on‑site wash/sauna facilities reduce carcinogenic exposures and lower long-term cancer risks for firefighters. Joel Gaertig (Montana State Firefighters Association) and local chiefs described the difficulty small rural departments face paying for washers, showers and extraction equipment, and noted private donations and pledges are already being offered to seed the fund.
Department and fiscal staff provided informational testimony about statutory appropriation mechanics and grant administration. The Department of Military Affairs said the fund would accept gifts, grants or charitable contributions and could retain 1% of a grant award for administrative expenses.
Committee members expressed general support and passed the bill in executive action. The transcript records proponents and informational witnesses and a positive committee disposition.
What’s next: HB 901 passed committee and will advance for further consideration.
