The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services (DSPS) has sent payments totaling $36,156,119 to fire departments across the state as part of the Wisconsin 2% Fire Dues Program. The figure represents a nearly 12% increase from the total distribution in 2024.
โThis funding is extremely important to fire departments across our state, many of them volunteer,โ DSPS Secretary Dan Hereth said. โFire departments are vital to ensuring the safety of our Wisconsin communities, and as Wisconsinโs safety agency we are proud to play a role in this 2% Fire Dues program that supports our partners in the state fire service.โ
The 2% Fire Dues Program remains a significant source of funding for the stateโs professional, volunteer, and hybrid fire departments, which use the money to buy and replace equipment, operate fire prevention programming, train crews, and more.
The program requires insurers to pay 2% of premiums collected for insurance against loss from fires. The Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance collects the dues, and DSPS distributes the dues to cities, towns, and villages across the state according to a prescribed formula.
In addition to protective gear, fire departments in Wisconsin have used Fire Dues funding on things like fire engines, ladder trucks, and fire suppression equipment. โFunding really benefits every citizen and community in our state, whether itโs through improving fire safety education, improving fire department equipment, or funding for recruitment and training of the next generation of firefighters,โ Hereth said.
