FASTER Act Funds Firefighters to Install Grab Bars, Lock Boxes to Prevent Senior Falls

The Firefighters Assisting Seniors To Emergency Response Act, or FASTER Act, is setting up a new federal grant program managed by FEMA aimed squarely at reducing the massive number of falls among adults aged 65 and older. The bill authorizes up to $7 million annually by 2035 for fire departments—career, combination, or volunteer—to launch three-year programs focused on fall prevention and home safety. These grants are designed to fund everything from installing handrails and grab bars to providing lock boxes so first responders can access homes quickly during an emergency, tapping into fire departments’ unique position as trusted community resources.

The Real-World Cost of a Slip

This legislation tackles a huge and expensive problem: falls are the leading cause of injury and death for older adults, costing the healthcare system over $80 billion annually. The FASTER Act focuses on prevention by funding practical, low-tech solutions. For instance, a fire department could use this grant money to send a community paramedic to a senior’s home to conduct a risk assessment, install a grab bar in the bathroom, or remove a tripping hazard like a loose area rug. This shifts the fire department’s role slightly from only responding to emergencies to proactively preventing them, a concept known as "community paramedicine."

The Three-Year Funding Clock and the Catch

The grant structure itself is interesting, and it puts the onus on local governments to commit. In the first two years, the federal government covers up to 75% of the program costs. But in year three, the federal share drops significantly to only 35%. This design forces applicants to have a solid plan for long-term sustainability—they must explain how they will keep the program running after the federal money runs out. This is a smart move to prevent programs from collapsing, but it means local fire departments and municipalities need to budget for a major funding jump after the initial phase. If you live in a town that secures one of these grants, expect your local officials to be looking for ways to fund the remaining 65% by the third year.

No Replacing Old Money with New

There are strict rules about how this money can be used. Crucially, the FASTER Act includes a non-supplantation clause: grant recipients cannot use the federal funds to replace money that the state or local government was already spending on fire or safety programs. This ensures the grant money is truly adding new services, not just balancing the existing budget. However, FEMA does have the authority to waive this rule, or lower the required local cost-share, for applicants facing “economic hardship.” Since the bill requires FEMA to define what “economic hardship” actually means after consulting with experts, that definition will be critical. If a community is struggling economically, that waiver could be the difference between getting this vital safety program or not.