Bill > HR5575

This bill, known as the Firefighters Assisting Seniors To Emergency Response (FASTER) Act, aims to authorize grants to fire departments to help reduce falls among older adults and improve emergency response times. The bill highlights alarming statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, noting that approximately 14 million falls occur annually among adults over 65, resulting in 38,000 deaths and over $80 billion in medical expenses. Under the proposed legislation, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator would provide three-year competitive grants to career, combination, and volunteer fire departments to implement fall prevention and home safety programs. Grant recipients can use funds for various purposes, including installing safety devices, recruiting community paramedicine personnel, replacing smoke detectors, performing home modifications to reduce fall risks, and conducting risk assessments. The federal government would cover up to 75% of program costs in the first two years and 35% in the third year, with provisions for waivers in cases of economic hardship. The bill authorizes appropriations ranging from $1 million to $7 million across fiscal years 2026-2035, and requires FEMA to submit a report to Congress evaluating the grant program's effectiveness within two years of enactment. The grant program is set to expire on September 30, 2036.

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https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5575/all-info