- Obtain a letter of recommendation from your department head or team leader, provided on departmental letterhead.
- Complete the VATF-2 SCS student application and follow the instructions on the form for payment and submission
- Complete the VDFP scholarship application
- Submit the VDFP scholarship application and the letter of recommendation to Chad Riddleberger, Division Chief of Heavy Technical Rescue
Guide to Fireworks in the Commonwealth
Virginia Fallen Firefighters & EMS Memorial Service Scheduled for June 3
The 2023 Virginia Fallen Firefighters & EMS Memorial Service
2022 Governor’s Fire Service Awards Nominations Open Through December 16, 2022
Structural Collapse Specialist School Scholarship
- Obtain a letter of recommendation from your department head or team leader, provided on departmental letterhead.
- Complete the VATF-2 SCS student application and follow the instructions on the form for payment and submission
- Complete the VDFP scholarship application
- Submit the VDFP scholarship application and the letter of recommendation to Chad Riddleberger, Division Chief of Heavy Technical Rescue
Ken Brown Appointed Coordinator of Community Risk Reduction.
The Virginia Department of Fire Programs is excited to welcome Ken Brown who has been appointed by Governor Youngkin to serve as the Coordinator of Community Risk Reduction.
Ken retired from the position of Fire-Rescue Chief and Coordinator of Emergency Services for Goochland County Virginia after 33 years of career experience. Ken has a long career in the Virginia Fire Services, holding the previous positions as Director of Fire Services for Prince George County, Company Officer with the City of Newport News Fire Dept., and Fire Chief for the 909th CES Fire Dept. USAFR (Ret).
Ken is a certified Instructor IV and has been an adjunct with the Virginia Department of Fire Programs for 38 years. He is a proud graduate of the National Fire Academy Executive Fire Officers Program.
Ken has been a member of many fire service organizations, including the Virginia State Firefighters Association, the Metro Chiefs Association, the Emergency Fleet Management Association, where he was the former President, Metro Regional Fire Investigation Task Force, and Virginia State Public Fire and Life Safety Coalition where he was the former Chairman. In 2003, he was appointed to the Virginia Fire Services Board and remained on the Board for ten years.
Currently, he is the State Director for the NVFC, serving as chairman of the Recruitment and Retention committee and Past President of the Virginia State Firefighters Association. Ken has been active in the volunteer fire service for 45 years and is currently an active member of Fire Company 4 of Goochland Fire Rescue.
Creasy Appointed Executive Director
Governor Youngkin appointed Brad Creasy as the Executive Director of the Virginia Department of Fire Programs.
Creasy is an accomplished public safety professional with more than 26 years of fire and emergency service experience.
He began his career with the Bedford Volunteer Fire Department before becoming a career firefighter with the Roanoke Fire-EMS Department. Creasy served in Roanoke City for 21 years and rose through the ranks to Captain. Creasy has served the past 15 years as the fire chief for the Town of Bedford.
Creasy received his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Liberty University. He is a Virginia Fire Officer Academy graduate and holds the Chief Fire Officer Designation (CFO) from the Center for Public Safety Excellence.
VDFP Regional Schools
VDFP Regional Schools
Wise Regional School – September 10-12, 2021
UVA Wise Campus
Register by September 1!
- Courses included:
- Basic Pump Operations
- Hazmat Operations
- Instructor I
- FF1 & FF2 Train-the-Trainer
- Surface Water I & II
- Intro to Tech Rescue – Module II
- Vehicle Operations I
VDFP’s Aid to Localities Funding Increases to $34 Million for Firefighter Training and PPE in the Commonwealth
VDFP’s Aid to Localities Funding Increases to $34 Million for
Firefighter Training and PPE in the Commonwealth
The Aid to Localities funding program increased by 5.45% for Fiscal Year 2022,
stemming from the Virginia Fire Services Board’s approval and fire-related insurance collections.
RICHMOND – July 12, 2021 – The Virginia Fire Services Board (VFSB), a Governor-appointed policy body that consists of 15 members from Virginia’s Fire Service, the insurance industry, municipal organizations, and citizen representatives; and the Virginia Department of Fire Programs (VDFP) announced today a 5.45% budget increase in the Fire Programs Fund. The increase totals $1.8 million dollars to the Virginia Aid to Localities (ATL) funding program, which bumps up the total aid to $34 million dollars for statewide distribution.
ATL funding comes from the Virginia Fire Programs Fund, which is derived from 1 percent of fire-related insurance coverage collected in the previous calendar year. Approximately 75% of the total fund goes directly to a total of 323 counties, cities, and incorporated towns within the Commonwealth. Twenty-five percent goes to VDFP’s operational budget.
VDFP administers the ATL program in conjunction with the Board.
The current fiscal year (FY22) increases follow pivotal milestones for the Board. In 2020, VFSB pushed to increase ATL funding to support training initiatives, construction of fire training centers, firefighting equipment, and protective gear. The Board’s request was made in response to increasing budget trends in Virginia’s Fire Service. During fiscal year 2021 (FY21), minimum ATL funding levels jumped from $10,000 to $15,000 and $20,000 to $30,000. This fiscal year, 152 Virginia localities will see an increase as they received above the minimum in FY21. The Board approved to allow the minimum funding levels to remain at the FY21 increases.
“The Board saw a trend in the rising costs of insurance, particularly the types of insurance in which the 1% that goes to the Fire Programs Fund is derived – fire, miscellaneous property and casualty, marine, homeowners, and farm owners insurance,” said VFSB Chair Scott Garber. “We made a strategic move in considering these increases to align with the rising costs in keeping fire departments operable.”
“The increased funding allows us to assist Virginia’s Fire Service in growing their departments and personnel. In some cases, ATL funding increases budgetary choices for financially strapped fire departments,” said VDFP Acting Executive Director Garrett Dyer. “Our purpose is to assist where we can to help fire departments meet or exceed their service delivery goals.”
Funding is available annually on July 1, the start of VDFP’s new fiscal year. Qualifying localities are required to submit annual reports and financial documentation to receive an allocation.