Waste of the Day: Throwback Thursday – Fire Departments Host Puppet Shows

Topline: In 2006, Congress’ guidelines for Homeland Security’s grant program for firefighters mostly ignored the most obvious function of a fire department: putting out fires.

Funding for fire prevention went instead to entertainment and after-retirement training

Only 5% of the funding was set aside for “fire prevention and injury prevention programs.” The remaining 95% was used to fund fire-related purchases like puppet shows, clown shows, gym equipment and more, according to the Washington Times.

Nearly 5,000 fire-related organizations received a total of $485 million in funding in 2006. The Washington Times’ reporting focused only on the first 250 awardees, who received over $25 million — or $41 million in today’s money. 

Key facts: Homeland Security approved $69,000 for nonprofit LAFS for Life to stage puppet and clown shows about fire safety in partnership with the Des Moines, Iowa fire department. The group’s founder, Pam “Sparky” Moody, later received a lifetime achievement award from the World Clown Association in 2021.

The Onalaska Fire Department in Wisconsin also got $8,000 for clowns and puppet shows. The City of Grants Pass, Ore., received $22,000 to buy an “educational robot.” 

The grant guidelines also allowed funding for “wellness and fitness activities,” and the the Plantation City Council in Florida took advantage to spend $28,000 on treadmills and stationary bikes for its firefighters. The Crawfordsville Fire Department in Indiana spent $55,000 to teach its firefighters how to become fitness trainers, the Washington Times reported.

Deflection of blame

Another $40,000 went to the Haitian American Cultural and Social Organization in Rockland County, N.Y., a group that provided breast cancer screening for low-income Haitian immigrants and illegal aliens. They told the Washington Times the money would be used to provide smoke alarms and fire safety information for rental housing.

Search all federal, state and local salaries and vendor spending with the world’s largest government spending database at OpenTheBooks.com. 

Background: Officials at Homeland Security did not want any of the blame for the odd spending choices. Agency spokesman Marc Short told the Washington Times that then-Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff wanted to redirect the money to develop safety measures for possible terrorist attacks, but he was overruled by Congress.

The administration has not supported the funding for physical fitness equipment as part of the fire grant program. Physical fitness is an individual responsibility.

Still, even when Congress eventually did appropriate money for counterterrorism measures, it was not always logical. In 2011, several counties in Michigan used an $11,700 Homeland Security grant to buy Sno-Cone machines, supposedly to help treat heat exhaustion following a potential terrorist attack.

The most recent round of firefighters grants sent $291.6 million to 1,678 recipients. The grants were approved during fiscal year 2024 and dispersed in September 2025.

Summary: It’s difficult to prevent fires when the federal government is constantly setting taxpayer money ablaze.

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This article was originally published by RealClearInvestigations and made available via RealClearWire.