(Photo of Zetus VFD truck purchased in 1995 via MID)
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- State Fire Marshall and Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney touts passage of Senate Bill 2802 during the 2025 Regular Legislative Session.
Zetus Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) in Lincoln County has long operated on the principle that if you do it right the first time, you won’t have to go back and fix it later.
This adage was used when the department was ready to purchase its first new fire truck in 1995. Up until then, the department had been operating with used trucks, but the Mississippi Legislature had recently passed the Rural Fire Truck Acquisition Assistance Program (RFTAAP). Zetus VFD applied and was the first to be approved by the fire truck committee. RFTAAP awarded the department $50,000 toward the purchase of a new truck, which cost a little over $90,000.
The program is in its 30th year and, to date, has awarded 15 rounds of funding, available to each county. There is also a matching program that allows departments to be awarded up to 80 percent of a new truck’s cost. RFTAAP has allowed Zetus VFD and other departments across the state to purchase new trucks that they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford. Over 1,000 new fire trucks have been purchased through the program.
This year brought historic progress for fire services in Mississippi with the passage of Senate Bill 2802 during the 2025 Regular Legislative Session. Working with Senator Robin Robinson of Laurel and the Mississippi Legislature, my office helped create a dedicated, recurring funding stream to support essential fire service programs, including the County Fire Rebate Fund, Municipal Fire Rebate Fund, and RFTAAP.
Beginning July 1, 2025, revenues collected from the non-admitted policy fee (applied to surplus lines insurance premiums) will be distributed to a few state programs. This model will provide an estimated $31 million in recurring support for Mississippi’s fire services beginning in Fiscal Year 2027. Of that amount, RFTAAP is projected to receive $7.4 million annually, while the County and Municipal Fire Rebate Funds will each gain an additional $5.5 million. These funds will help local governments purchase fire trucks, upgrade gear and equipment, and meet training needs for firefighters. These appropriations reflect a commitment to supporting fire protection and public education efforts, especially in rural and underserved areas.
When Zetus VFD submitted the request for funding back in 1995, they knew exactly what they wanted their new pumper to be. The new truck was designed with two booster reels, a 1,000-gallon tank, and a 1,000-gallon-per-minute PTO-driven pump, built on a 1996 Ford commercial chassis.
Zetus VFD is proud to say that their first RFTAAP truck is still serving the people of Lincoln County 30 years later. Good planning and forward thinking have saved lives and property there. I hope to see the truck in service for many years to come.
I’d like to thank the legislators who have supported these efforts. My office remains committed to serving and supporting the fire service.
