Depending on various factors, EMS may be able to receive assistance through highway safety funds or grant programs. Legislation may impact the available funding and eligibility criteria, but currently, EMS initiatives could be eligible for funding from the following sources:
HSIP funds can be used to support highway safety improvement projects. Highway safety improvement projects include any strategy, activity, or project on a public road that is consistent with a state SHSP (Strategic Highway Safety Plan), and corrects or improves a hazardous road location or feature, or addresses a highway safety problem. As such, traditional safety infrastructure-related improvements, as well as non-infrastructure safety projects, are eligible for HSIP funds if identified through a data-driven process (i.e., on the basis of crash experience, crash potential, crash rate, or other data-supported means). Specific HSIP eligibility questions should be directed to the FHWA Division office in your state.
The Section 402 program provides grants to states to improve driver behavior and reduce deaths and injuries from motor vehicle-related crashes. At the federal level, the program is jointly administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). At the state level, it is administered by the State Highway Safety Offices (SHSO).
A state may choose to use a portion of its Section 402 State and Community Highway Safety grant funds for Emergency Medical Services, based on its highway safety problem analysis and goal-setting. These funds may be used to purchase equipment related to highway emergency medical services subject to compliance with any applicable standards and specifications. With regard to ambulances, the federal share of costs may not exceed 25 percent, unless the state submits to the appropriate NHTSA grant-approving official documentation supporting a higher percentage of highway safety utilization.
Currently, states are required to have a highway safety program (HSP) that is approved by the Secretary. Funds can be spent in accordance with national guidelines for programs to:
Read more about Section 402 Grants
Under MAP-21, Section 405 was renamed the National Priority Safety Program, which combines the impaired driving, occupant protection, traffic records, and motorcyclist safety programs authorized under SAFETEA-LU (with substantial changes to two of the four) and adds two new incentive programs -- one for distracted driving and one for graduated driver licensing.
Section 405 grant programs are administered by the NHTSA at the federal level , and by the SHSOs at the state level. Each program is authorized as a separate section or tier within Section 405, and each has its own eligibility criteria. States must satisfy the eligibility criteria of each tier in order to receive funding for that tier.
States may qualify for a State Traffic Safety Information System Grant for data improvement activities, such as improving the timeliness, accuracy, completeness, uniformity, integration, and accessibility of data that is needed to identify priorities for federal, state, and local highway and traffic safety programs. In some states multiple agencies provide funding for data collection and management through interagency agreements.
*Note: This program replaces the Section 408 State Traffic Safety Information System Improvement Grants authorized under SAFETEA-LU.
State Highway Safety Office (SHSO)
State DOT
NHTSA Regional Office (there are 10)
FHWA Division Office (there's one in every state; ask for the Safety Specialist who will know who to contact at the DOT)