WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida's chief financial officer was in Palm Beach County on Monday, where he allocated money to local fire departments to help protect the health and safety of firefighters.

He was joined by state Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington, and state Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman, R-Highland Beach, and West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James at West Palm Beach Fire Station 1 off North Dixie Highway.

WATCH BELOW: Florida CFO holds news conference in West Palm Beach

Florida CFO Blaise Ingoglia holds news conference in West Palm Beach

Ingoglia awarded $1 million to local fire departments through the Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Grant Program, the Firefighter Assistance Grant Program and projects that were appropriated in the state's fiscal 2025-2026 budget.

According to the CFO's website, this program was established "to help protect the health and safety of firefighters and provide financial assistance to help departments, including volunteer fire departments, procure equipment, supplies and educational training designed to mitigate exposure to hazardous, cancer-causing chemicals."

"Fighting fires today is much different than fighting fires 40 years ago," Ingoglia said. "When a structure burned, it was most likely concrete, it was wood. But today, when we ask our firefighters to go into burning structures, there's a lot more than just wood and concrete that are burning. There are petrochemicals. ... there are things that are being lit up and being absorbed into the skin, into the eye, into the lungs of our firefighters, and unfortunately this has caused occupational cancers, and there's a higher risk of contracting and getting those cancers because of their profession."

Funds allocated to local departments on Monday included:

• West Palm Beach received $19,635
• Greenacres received $6,806
• Highland Beach received $5,962

"The state of Florida's firefighter cancer decontamination grant is making a real difference here in the West Palm Beach Fire Department and at fire departments across the state," West Palm Beach Fire Chief Diana Matty said. "Whether it is for second sets of gloves, particulate blocking hoods, or on-scene cleansing wipes, or specialized washers, these are very important items that they're accenting in our budgets."

The CFO said that the state still has $1 million available through the Firefighter Cancer Decontamination Grant Program, and another $1 million available for the Firefighter Assistance Grant Program in this year's state budget, urging other fire chiefs to reach out to the state and apply.

"We must ensure that our fire stations and our firefighters have the equipment they need to keep Florida safe and their families safe," Ingoglia said.

Also at Monday's news conference, Ingoglia took questions regarding the upcoming property tax amendment vote and some of the funding concerns that cities and first responders are discussing if the amendment passes.

In support of the amendment, Ingoglia said that many county budgets have "exploded over the last six years."

"I don't think there is any one of these counties that their budgets have not increased anywhere between 60 to 160% over six years," the CFO said. "They have been an enormous beneficiary of a historic amount of property tax revenue that has flowed into the coffers. Right now, what I'm worried about is an affordability issue here in the state of Florida."

Ingoglia said he believes there is a lot of room to offer property tax relief and still fund the necessary items for our first responders.

"I understand the anxiety of sheriffs and police chiefs and fire chiefs around the state where they're saying that their budgets may wind up being gutted and they might have to lay off people. I understand that. I don't necessarily agree with that, but I think that also goes to their distrust of the people who are holding their budget because across the state the vast, vast, vast majority of their budgets are controlled by their county commissioners or their mayors. I will tell you that there's more than enough money to go around," Ingoglia said.

Matty said at the moment she did not have concerns over response time lagging or budget cuts regarding the property tax amendment.