By Brendan Scanland
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Trump administration puts the pedal to the metal on federal downsizing efforts, some industry leaders are speaking out about potential consequences.
Nearly three months into President Trump’s second term, the administration continues to roll ahead on a key campaign promise.
“We’re cutting numbers that nobody’s ever seen before,” said President Trump during a forum on Tuesday.
So far, tens of thousands of federal jobs have been cut and billions of dollars slashed by Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). The legality of certain downsizing actions has consistently been called into question by Democrats.
“Their actions are unprecedented, illegal and cruel,” said Rep. Steny Hoyer (D- MD).
But the efforts are praised by Republicans, who argue they’re acting on behalf of their constituents.
“My role is to do the best thing for them. What that means is keeping the size and unnecessary influence of the federal government off their backs and out of their pocketbooks,” said Congressman Jack Bergman (R- MI).
Many Republicans support cutting spending with a scalpel and not a chainsaw.
“Two things could be true at the same time. Number one, President Trump’s doing exactly what he said he was going to do, and we have to do this, we have to rein in our spending, rein in our government. And we also need to do that in a way that’s thoughtful and doesn’t make mistakes that we’ll regret some time down the road,” said Sen. Dave McCormick (R- PA).
However, uncertainty is causing concern for industry leaders who say key services and programs, including grant programs, are at risk.
“The largest impacts, I think, will be to the grant process, which all fire departments use,” said Kevin Feak, a fire protection engineer and former firefighter.
Feak says certain federal grants, like the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program are a lifeline to fire departments across the country.
“This grant allows for personal protective equipment, fire engines, hoses and even just things around the station, like new industrial washing machines to help protect against the cancer-causing carcinogens that our firefighters face,” said Feak. “These grants are vital, especially for large scale purchases. A general fire engine can cost upwards of $1,000,000.”
The biggest concern, Feak says, is in smaller communities that rely more on state and federal support.
“When these smaller departments are looking at replacing equipment that’s nearing the end of its useful life, these grants are a huge, huge factor in their in their replacement. Many communities, just lack of funding base that can support large purchases like that on a regular basis. And that’s where these federal dollars really come into play,” said Feak.
Additionally, Feak says other downsizing efforts like the administration’s hiring freeze can impact supporting roles when it comes to fighting wildfires. Scientists, administrators, forest management personnel and weather experts are just a few federal positions, Feak says, play a key role in preventing and mitigating wildfires.
“They provide weather updates, they perform administrative tasks and they backfill a lot of the responders who are out there fighting fires,” said Feak. “They’re a lot of the boots on the ground people. These workers also hold wildland firefighting certifications and they’re often the first to respond to some of the minor fires that are out in the federally controlled areas.”
Feak says first responders are being asked to respond to an evolving number of emergencies including medical emergencies, rescues, structure fires and wildland fires. He says doing more with less has already been a challenge for first responders across the country.
“As our communities continue to grow and we face more wildland urban interface, we face growing community size, our firefighters are going to be pushed even more to the limit. Without the necessary equipment and training, I think it really poses a danger to our communities overall,” said Feak.
