Here we go into the final quarter of 2025, “WOW”! My Daddy instructed me while I was developing into an adult, “Son, a change will do you good”. I say that to say this, it was a bitter/sweet state fair this year. The time I was able to spend around the Missouri State Fair fire department, watching the awesome firefighters and EMS perform their duties for the last time in the present firehouse. Emotions were high with those who have dedicated years to make sure the fire department continues at the level expected in that building until the end. A lot of friendships and crazy stories were forged within the building and will live on even with a new firehouse in 2026. Thank you, old firehouse! Again, a big shoutout to everyone who came and assisted with the fire department operations for 2025, job well done!
AFFF FOAM
We, along with DNR, have been working on a solution to resolve all of the PFAB foam that we have set around our firehouses. We have found a solution! DNR has received funding that will allow us to establish collection stations across the state to collect your PFAB foam. We have sent a survey through our fire department registration on August 26th to gather how much foam you have. Please take the survey, which allows us to get an approximate amount within our state. Once this is captured, DNR will set the collection sites around the state. Help us help you get this PFAB off your hands.
Volunteer Fire Protection Association Workers’ Compensation Insurance Grant Program (Free Grant Free Grant Free Grant)
Several years ago, we were able to get the legislators to give us $200,000 for Volunteer Fire Protection Associations, i.e., departments that collect dues or membership fees, are eligible to apply for this grant. You can receive up to $2000 to put towards your work comp insurance. Our data shows we have 139 departments that are eligible for this grant. Sadly, we only had 29 departments to apply for the free grant! If you are a volunteer fire department and have not applied for this, please copy and paste this website and get started! I hope we spend every penny of the $200,000. dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/other/vfpa-wc-insurance-grant-program.php
MO Department of Conservation “Excess Property Program”
Exciting news about a new program MDC will be rolling out. I had a conversation with Ben Webster, and below is the information he shared with me to share with our Missouri Fire Service.
In mid-FY25, the MDC administration got together to discuss the possibility of putting a number of our agency’s excess trucks into the Excess Property Program for distribution to our partnering fire departments. Through this discussion and some follow-up conversations, it was determined that MDC would provide 10 ¾ ton pickup trucks per year to the Excess Property Program. These trucks will be assigned to our partnering fire departments through the same process we utilize to assign equipment through the Fire Fighter Property (FFP) program. To be eligible for a truck, fire departments must have a current Mutual Aid Agreement with MDC and must have submitted a request for a brush truck through their local MDC field representative. Once a truck is assigned to a fire department, there is no requirement to paint the truck, but the truck must be made response-ready within 6 months of receipt, and then the truck must be operated for one year. At this one-year mark, the fire department will receive the title to the truck.
In FY 25, MDC provided 7 agency excess trucks, which will be put into service as brush trucks. Again, our goal moving through FY 26 is to make 10 trucks available for issue. The phone number to contact the Lebanon office is (417-532-7904 ext:6342 Kent Bassett) to apply.
Public Safety Recruitment & Retention Act Scholarship
I have received several calls about the newly passed SN71. Thank you to Heather Dolce (Heather.Dolce@dhewd.mo.gov) with the Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, who recently sent this information. Hopefully, it will help answer your questions or at least give you a point of contact.
The following is regarding the Public Safety Recruitment & Retention Act Scholarship; the law takes effect on August 28. General updates include:
The application is not yet available, but our team is working closely with ITSD to ensure it is operational and ready as soon as possible. We will make a formal announcement once the application is accessible, including detailed instructions for interested users.
We have a webpage dedicated to providing the most current information about the scholarship: Public Safety Recruitment & Retention Act Scholarship | dhewd.mo.gov
Right now, it’s informational, but more details on how to apply will be added once the application is available. When constituents contact us with general questions or ask for more information about the scholarship, we direct them to this website and let them know it will be updated with new information, including the application, as soon as it becomes available.
The website also features Frequently Asked Questions to help clarify the requirements and definitions within the bill.
We are also developing a promotional flyer as a resource for those interested in sharing information about the scholarship, as well as a toolkit to assist institutions that may receive questions about it. These items will be finalized once we clarify certain application details and set any important deadlines. If you know of any partners on your end who could benefit from this information, please let me know, and I’ll be happy to share it once completed.
Missouri Fire Safety Education/Advisory Commission
We presently have two open positions for the Fire Education Commission. One is for a Full-Time Firefighter employed by a recognized fire department, along with the Chief-Recognized Paid Fire Department position. You can visit https://boards.mo.gov/ and click on Apply. We hope to fill these two positions soon.
Missouri 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb
The Missouri 9/11 Memorial Stairclimb is coming up. By the time this article is published, several stairclimbs will have taken place. Each one honors and commemorates September 11, 2001, with the phrase “Never Forget.” I have done, and will continue to do, what I can to keep that historic day alive in our hearts. Join us and others on Saturday, October 18th, here at the Jefferson Building as we climb in honor of those from 9/11, along with those from across our state who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. To register, go to www.mo911stairclimb.org and follow the instructions. Funds raised from our stairclimb go to Supporting Heroes. Supporting Heroes supports our entire state, helping families immediately after a tragic line-of-duty death. Most surviving families need financial help until things settle down; Supporting Heroes provides that help. Come join us or just donate to the climb — it will make a difference.
National Emergency Reporting Incident System (NERIS)
The NERIS system went “live” for Missouri on August 04, 2025. This enabled all fire departments to begin the onboarding process. All fire departments are able to begin the process of setting up and confirming their agency “nodes” in NERIS. 51% of Missouri fire departments are now able to begin or are in the process of onboarding into the NERIS system.
All Authorization Letters received after July 30, 2025, are being processed as they arrive. This information will be regularly sent to the NERIS team to support the ongoing account creation and onboarding for Missouri fire departments.
Outreach continues with RMS vendors to coordinate the transition of their clients in as orderly a fashion as possible.
We need all fire departments to participate in this new incident reporting system. The old system will be shut down after the first of the year. Please reach out to Joshua Couture at 573-751-1601 or email Joshua.couture@dfs.dps.mo.gov
In closing, it has been a very busy summer. I am thankful for the rain we have received over the past months, which has given us a little reprieve after how the beginning of the year started. I hope the rain pattern continues for the rest of the year. I truly appreciate how you serve and protect our state day in and day out, many of you volunteering your time, gas, and vehicle to help others. My heart holds a special place for you. May God continue to bless and keep you! If there is anything I can do for you, feel free to contact me at Tim.bean@dfs.dps.mo.gov or Cell: 573-645-2069. Stay safe.
FFAM
