On behalf of the IAFC members and staff, IAFC President Josh Waldo, and the IAFC Board of Directors, we would like to express our sincere condolences to the family, friends, and staff of Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr.. Representative Pascrell, who passed away on August 21, was a preeminent supporter of the fire and emergency service in Congress and was the creator of the FIRE and SAFER grant programs.
Representative Pascrell was first elected to Congress in 1996 after serving as a member of the New Jersey Assembly, and previously as Mayor of Paterson, New Jersey. Within a few years, he identified the need for Congress to help local fire departments meet their staffing, training, and equipment needs. In 1999, he introduced the Firefighter Investment and Response Enhancement (FIRE) Act to create the first grant program giving federal funding directly to local fire departments.
After Congress passed the FIRE Act in 2000, Representative Pascrell created a program aimed at helping recruit career and volunteer firefighters and introduced legislation to create the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, which passed in 2003. A dedicated supporter of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) and SAFER grant programs, Representative Pascrell successfully passed an amendment this summer (2024) to increase funding for the programs. He also played an integral role in reauthorizing the AFG and SAFER grant programs as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act (P.L. 118-67) and attended the ceremony when President Biden signed the bill into law.
As an original member of the House Homeland Security Committee, Representative Pascrell focused on ensuring the fire and emergency services were prepared for acts of terrorism after the attacks of September 11, 2001. He also served on the House Ways and Means Committee, where he supported and led efforts to retrofit buildings with automatic fire sprinklers. One of his last bills was the High-Rise Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act (H.R. 8135), which -- for the first -time -- would incentivize the installation of fire sprinklers in residential buildings.
Recognizing the importance of health and safety issues for fire and EMS personnel, Representative Pascrell also was a leader in the creation of the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer. The House passed his legislation (H.R. 3821) to reauthorize funding for the program in March of this year. He also introduced legislation (The Honoring Our Fallen Heroes Act, H.R. 1719) to allow the families of public safety officers who died from job-related cancers to be eligible for the federal Public Safety Officers’ Benefits program. Finally, Representative Pascrell continued to try to address the needs of local fire departments by introducing the FIRE STATION Act (H.R. 1814), which would create a federal grant program to modify, upgrade, and construct fire and EMS stations. A long-time supporter of the IAFC and its mission, Representative Pascrell submitted a statement into the Congressional Record last year commemorating our 150th anniversary.
A friend and ally like Bill Pascrell comes around once in a lifetime if you're lucky. He stood by our fire service at every step of his career, and we're fortunate to have had him in our corner," said newly appointed IAFC President Josh Waldo upon learning of Rep. Pascrell's passing. "I and all my colleagues are going to miss working with Bill, but we'll keep his legacy alive and kicking by fighting for the same values he did throughout his time here with us. I'm honored to have known him. My thoughts are with his family, friends, and loved ones as they celebrate his life and mourn his loss.
Representative Pascrell always was there to help local fire departments through both legislation and his role as a Co-Chair of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus. He was a regular speaker at the National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner, where he celebrated the bravery and dedication of local career, volunteer, and combination fire departments. Every day, Representative Pascrell worked to make the lives of firefighters safer and ensure that they came home safely.
The IAFC honors the memory of the fire service’s friend in Congress, Representative Bill Pascrell, Jr., and expresses its sympathies to Representative Pascrell’s family, friends, and staff during their time of grief.