WINNING NARRATIVE 2005


XXX Volunteer Fire Department
Project Narrative

The XXX Volunteer Fire Department is located in the City of XXX, in MMM County, Minnesota, which is about 150 miles southwest of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Project Description
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After a risk assessment and analysis process, the XXX Fire Department is requesting $17,150 to contract for training for our volunteer firefighters. The training program will include three components:

1) Firefighter I certification for 20 firefighters – This training consists of a total of 100 hours of instructor led, hands-on training. Firefighters will receive certification at the completion of the training. We plan to complete the training within a three month timeframe beginning shortly after January 1, 2006. We anticipate the training will be complete by mid-April 2006.

2) Confined Space and Entry and Grain Bin Hazard certificate – This training consists of one 8-hour instructor led, hands-on class.

3) Live Burn Trailer Training – This training consists of one 4-hour instructor led, hands-on class.

All instructor led, hands-on trainings will be provided through a contract with Minnesota West Community College. Their staff is very experienced in providing all trainings outlined above. All trainings will be conducted in XXX. All trainings will be open to any interested firefighters from southwest Minnesota until classes are filled. See question 2 for an itemized budget.

These funds will allow our department to train 100% of our long-term firefighters. We have two firefighters that anticipate they will retire within two years. They will not be required to complete the training. All new firefighters recruited will be required to complete Firefighter I certification within three years of joining the department.

This project will reduce health and safety risks to our volunteer firefighters and improve service to our residents. The lack of training is causing a problem which is negatively affecting our ability to provide mission critical services.

The goal of this activity is to provide training opportunities for our volunteer firefighters, reduce health and safety risks to our firefighters, and improve firefighting service to the community.

There are many reasons why our department has identified the need for this training.

• Seventy-five percent of our firefighters have less than 11 years of service. Our firefighters and community will benefit from this training for many years.

• Not one of our firefighters currently holds Firefighter I certification. No firefighters in our department have attended the Confined Space or Live Burn trainings.

• Our firefighters currently have to travel one hour or more to attend these trainings. The cost of the training, scheduling difficulties with full time jobs and family commitments, and travel time add undue stress to volunteer firefighters willing to complete training. Small rural departments have limited opportunities to access training.

• Property insurance premiums are higher in our community due to the fact that our firefighters have not completed Firefighter I certification.

• Four years ago our department was called to a local business where two employees were trapped in a grain storage facility. Our department was able to rescue one employee. One employee died in the facility. Last year our department was called to a grain bin and grain dryer fire. There was significant property loss to the grain, the grain storage bin, and the grain dryer.

• The majority of our past fire calls have been exterior fire calls. In Quarter 1 2005 we have been called to two house fires.

• The rural community of XXX is changing. According to the 2000 Census 97.7% of residents are White. Within the last three years we have realized an influx of Hmong immigrants. All existing houses are now full. It is common for Hmong families to live with immediate family and extended family in the same house. Their daily living activities are different from the traditional rural Minnesota community and present unique challenges for our fire department.

• Our community is home to two small grain elevators, a 250,000 bushel Meadowland grain elevator located next to the rail line, and construction of a four million bushel storage facility to be completed this year. These facilities present unique challenges for our fire department.


Financial Need
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Firefighter I certification----------------------------------------------------------------------$14,700
(20 firefighters x $735/firefighter)
Confined Space and Entry and Grain Bin Hazards Training-----------------------------$ 1,200
(One 8-hour class costs $1,200, no minimum or maximum number of attendees)
Live Burn Trailer Training--------------------------------------------------------------------$ 1,250
(One 4-hour class costs $1,250; no minimum or maximum number of attendees)

TOTAL PROJECT COST--------------------------------------------------------------------$17,150


FEMA Fire grant------------------------ $16,293
XXX FD 5% match-----------------------$ 857

The XXX Fire Department has the required matching funds in-hand at this time. Each firefighter who completes all training and receives certification will receive a $350 stipend and will receive $25 per year to the Fire Relief Association up to a maximum of $500 per firefighter. The duration of the Fire Relief Association contribution is under discussion at this time. The City Council will determine the length of the contribution at a future meeting. Council members are considering 10 years or 20 years. One hundred percent of the stipend and the Fire Relief Association contribution will be funded by the City of XXX. The total cost of the stipends is $7,000 and the total cost of the Fire Relief Association contribution over a 10 year period is $5,000. This project will be able to begin as soon as grant funds are awarded.


Cost/Benefit
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Forty percent (40%) of our jurisdiction population are not fire department taxpayers.

Our small community is faced with other major purchases in the near future including major wastewater, fresh water, and street improvements. The demands on the City’s general fund are far too numerous for the City to meet all requests. The city council recognizes the need for this training, but due to higher priorities, has been unable to fund the training request.

Our annual fire department budget is very small. We are able to allocate $500 per year from our budget for training needs. It will take our department 34 years to save the funds needed for this project. By that time costs will have increased so we will still be unable to purchase the needed training.

Without FIRE grant assistance this project will cost: $17,150 loan at 7% interest for 5 years equals total principle and interest of $20,375. A loan will significantly increase the cost to residents for this project.

Thirty five percent (35%) of residents are senior citizens and 15.4% are youth. These residents cannot afford increased taxes to pay for needed community improvements.

According to a community survey of all residents completed in summer 1999, 52% of our residents are low and moderate-income persons.

The 2000 Census for median household income for XXX is $24,013 as compared to $37,352 for residents of MMM County Minnesota as compared to $47,111 for Minnesota and $41,994 for the United States. It is a hardship for residents to afford these costs due to their low median household income.


Statement of Effect
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Benefits to our community and our department include:

• This instructor led, hands-on training program will reduce safety and health risks to our volunteer firefighters in 100% of our fire calls.

• This program will assist our community with purchasing valuable training that will ultimately reduce life and economic losses.

• The Firefighter I training will positively impact our ISO PPC program which may lower our insurance premiums due to better fire protection.

• Reducing safety hazards for our volunteer firefighters and providing instructor led, hands-on training is necessary for attracting future firefighters; so that we may remain a viable department for years to come.

• Training will improve the services that our firefighters can provide to residents. One hundred percent of our department will experience improved service.

• Lack of training adds undue stress to our personnel when responding to an emergency.

• This instructor led, hands-on training program will improve our ability to operate within our department during an emergency. This program will also improve our interoperability with neighboring fire departments.

• Our department has mutual aid agreements with seven neighboring fire departments. Our department will use this training on all mutual aid calls.

• Training will decrease our critical response time and increase our efficiency at a fire scene.

• This instructor led, hands-on training will bring our department into compliance with OSHA 1910.156 and NFPA 1001, 1051, 1081, and 1403. This project will allow our department to better meet The General Duty Clause (Minnesota Statute 182.653 Subd. 2) Each employer shall furnish to each of its employees conditions of employment and a place of employment free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious injury or harm to its employees. – Employers must provide a safe and healthful workplace.

• This training will increase the ability of our volunteer firefighters to provide fire service in a safe and efficient manner.


Additional Information
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In an earlier section of this application we are requested to list our Department Call Volume for the last year. We responded to this question with our 2004 calls. Our 2004 call volume was significantly lower than our average department call volume. During the first three months of 2005 we have responded to a total of 8 fire calls including: 3 structure, 2 vehicle, 1 elevator, and 2 mutual aid calls for assistance. In 2003 our department responded to 23 calls.

Our volunteer firefighters are our community’s first line of defense in response to all hazards.XXX has 1 fulltime and 2 part-time police officers. Our community is located 40 miles from the county sheriff’s department base. We have a basic life support ambulance but do not have any doctors, hospital or nursing facilities. Our community is home to a K-8 school.XXX is best known for its attractions and events that depict the life of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Approximately 20,000 tourists visit XXX each year.

The City of XXX is a growing community. We are welcoming many Hmong families to our community. In the last three years 100+ new Hmong students are attending our K-8 school in XXX. All homes in the community are occupied. This change has been positive for our community; however it also brings new challenges for our fire department.

We have a new 28 unit congregate housing facility in XXX. This three-story structure exclusively provides housing for senior citizens and disabled persons.

Our firefighters provide service in all weather conditions. Temperatures range from –30F to 100F. These extreme weather conditions put stress on personnel and equipment.

Within our jurisdiction we have businesses that store bulk fertilizer and anhydrous ammonia on site. We have piped natural gas service within the city limits. Numerous farms within our jurisdiction store propane, fuel, and chemicals on site. Train cars travel through the center of our community at least four times per day. Large trucks haul a variety of items through our community on the State highway. All of these chemicals have the potential to become serious fire threats to our community. It is imperative that we provide adequate training to our volunteer firefighters so they can provide the best hazard protection possible to our community property and residents.

We appreciate your support and would like to express our appreciation for the opportunities this grant program would provide to our department.

Thank you for your consideration.XXX Volunteer Fire Department