Volunteer Firefighter Reimbursement Program.

2025-2026 Session Introduced by Eric Ager and 21 co-sponsors

The bill creates a one-year pilot reimbursing NC volunteer firefighters for travel and personal equipment costs to emergency scenes.

Passed 1st Reading

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Purpose / Intent

HB 669 establishes a one-year pilot program to reimburse volunteer firefighters in North Carolina for certain out‑of‑pocket costs they incur when responding to emergencies. The stated intent is to offset travel and personal equipment expenses associated with volunteer emergency response and to evaluate whether the program should be expanded or made permanent.

Key provisions

Establishes the “Reimbursement for Volunteer Firefighters Pilot Program” (the Program), to be administered statewide by the NC Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management.

Eligible participants: firefighters who are employed by or members of a volunteer firefighting organization in North Carolina.

Mileage reimbursement: paid for travel from the firefighter’s duty station to the scene; rate set equal to the current standard business mileage rate published annually by the Internal Revenue Service.

Personal equipment reimbursement: eligible for reimbursement for use of personal equipment at the scene that is used to secure the scene or to treat individuals involved in the emergency.

Administrative rules:

The Division of Emergency Management oversees the Program.
The commanding officer or highest‑ranking officer at each volunteer organization collects and submits reimbursement requests for volunteers.
Each reimbursement request must be submitted within 60 days of the reimbursable event.

Budget and duration:

Nonrecurring appropriation of $1,000,000 from the General Fund to DPS/DEM for FY 2025–26 to operate the Pilot Program.
Program termination date: June 30, 2026 (pilot runs through FY 2025–26 unless changed).

Reporting requirement:

The Division must report to the Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee by June 30, 2026, including:
Number and amounts of reimbursement requests;
Which volunteer organizations submitted requests and trends/patterns;
Recommendation on program expansion, permanence, or modifications.

Who is affected

Directly: volunteer firefighters and volunteer fire organizations in North Carolina who respond to emergencies.

Administratively: NC Department of Public Safety, Division of Emergency Management (program administration and reporting duties); commanding officers of volunteer organizations (claims collection).

Financially: State General Fund (one‑time $1,000,000 appropriation for FY 2025–26).

Timeline / Procedural notes

Effective date: the act becomes effective July 1, 2025.

Division instructed to seek implementation by January 1, 2026.

Program termination: June 30, 2026.

Report due to the Joint Legislative Emergency Management Oversight Committee by June 30, 2026, to inform legislative decisions about continuation or changes.

Potential impacts / considerations

Reduces volunteers’ out‑of‑pocket costs for travel and essential personal equipment, which may support retention and recruitment.

Administrative workload will increase for DPS/DEM and local volunteer organizations (claims intake, verification, reporting).

The $1M one‑time appropriation limits total reimbursements available and confines the pilot’s scale unless additional funding is provided.

The required report will provide data to evaluate cost, uptake, and whether to expand or make the program permanent.

Bill