Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird is joining 19 other state attorneys general in opposing new federal mandates that she says will threaten the future of small-town, volunteer fire departments. The AGs submitted a comment letter Friday criticizing changes to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Fire Brigades standards, which Bird claims impose costly equipment requirements that could force small, volunteer-based departments to shut down. These departments account for over 90 percent of Iowa’s firefighting services and 70 percent nationwide. Bird says, “Volunteer firefighters are heroes, and our communities depend on them to keep us safe. The Biden-Harris one-size-fits-all mandates might work for New York City, but they do not work for volunteer Iowa fire departments. I am calling to end the Biden-Harris mandates that drive out volunteer firefighters, hurting small towns and rural communities.” Bird argues the mandates increase training and equipment costs without additional funding, disproportionately impacting smaller towns. She and her coalition are urging the administration to eliminate the requirements and preserve volunteer departments’ ability to provide lifesaving services. The AGs’ full letter is included below.
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