Ohio State Fire Marshal testifies to US House Subcommittee on importance of fire grant programs

Ohio State Fire Marshal Kevin Reardon provided testimony May 11 to the United States House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Research and Technology Subcommittee regarding the reauthorization of the U.S. Fire Administration and Fire Grant Programs.

After an opening statement by Subcommittee Chairman Mike Collins, witness testimony was provided by Reardon, Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator, U.S. Fire Administration, Chief Donna Black, President, International Association of Fire Chiefs. Kevin B. O’Connor, Assistant to the General President, International Association of Fire Fighters, and David Bullard, Georgia Director, National Volunteer Fire Council.

During his testimony, Reardon spoke about the critical importance of these programs for the state, explaining Ohio’s 1,180 fire departments serve a population of 11.5 million people, the majority of which are volunteer fire departments. He highlighted the struggles that the fire service in Ohio faces with retention and recruitment problems, which are challenging and urgent.

"Without a consistent influx of new personnel, the delivery of emergency services will be impacted by not having an adequate number of responding firefighters," Reardon said during his testimony. "This very same issue is even more challenging for volunteer firefighters who count on community members for their membership."

Reardon praised the Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response Grant (SAFER) for its ability to provide funding to communities and allow them to add personnel instantly. He noted that 22 fire departments, large and small, in Ohio recently received grant funding, which will help keep the fire departments staffed with trained firefighters now and into the future.

He also spoke about the importance of having the proper equipment, noting that providing the necessary tools and equipment for some fire departments is a major investment. For the years 2020 and 2021, 649 Ohio fire departments received Assistance to Firefighter Grants (AFG).

"These grants provided millions of dollars to fire departments for apparatus and various other types of equipment to help increase their capabilities to serve their citizens.” Reardon said. “Without funding from the AFG program, these communities would be left on their own to fund equipment that, in some cases, simply would not be purchased."

Reardon also thanked the USFA for conducting the Summit on Fire Prevention and Control and for sharing the outcome of that summit with the fire service at large.

"The outcome of the summit and its recommendations have become the foundation of the fire service national strategy being promoted by the USFA," Reardon said. "As the Fire Marshal for the state of Ohio, I believe this is a logical and reasonable approach to begin addressing some of the long-standing issues continuing to gain the attention of our profession and policymakers in every state."

Reardon closed his testimony by expressing his support for the reauthorization of the budget for the U.S. Fire Administration.

"I am honored to be here, and I appreciate the opportunity to offer my support for the reauthorization of the budget for the U.S. Fire Administration," Reardon said.

Watch the full testimony here: https://science.house.gov/2023/5/research-and-technology-subcommittee.

Reardon was appointed Ohio’s 39th State Fire Marshal on June 11, 2020. Prior to becoming State Fire Marshal, Reardon spent nearly six years as director of the Central Ohio Technical College Institute for Public Service & Safety. He has also served on the Ohio Board of Building Standards. Reardon began his career in the fire service in 1981 with the Columbus Division of Fire, rising through the ranks from firefighter to battalion chief until his retirement in 2013. He also spent 10 years as then-Senator Mike DeWine’s military and veterans’ affairs liaison and as homeland security manager for Battelle.