WINNING NARRATIVE 2006

BLS Transport Vehicle

--
The XXX Ambulance Service is located approximately eighty miles west of Minneapolis/St. Paul and serves a community with a population of 582 (2000 census).
We are asking for $110,000.00 in the Vehicle Program Area.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION/BUDGET
----------------------------
After a thorough risk assessment, it was found that the XXX Ambulance Service is in dire need of a new ambulance. Our ambulance is a 17 year old, Ford Type III that has needed several repairs in the last few years due to a tired motor and slow transmission.

There have been times, due to the ambulance not starting, that we have needed to take our oxygen rescue bag and the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in one of the fire department vehicles to respond to a scene; then call for assist from another service to transport.

In life and death situations, this is unacceptable. As a result obtaining this ambulance would increase our effectiveness in responding to emergency calls and significantly improve the safety of the volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMT) on our department

Our service area covers several townships with a population of approximately 3,100. XXX is located at the intersection of two highly traveled state highways. There is an elementary school and assisted living facility located in XXX, and our district¿s junior/senior high school is fifteen miles to the north. Providing emergency services to these residents is always a concern.

Our twenty-member volunteer department goes on approximately 70 calls per year within our 133-mile coverage area. We are a state licensed Basic Life Support ambulance serving primarily a rural, farming community located in Southwestern Minnesota, approximately eighty-miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul.

The XXX Ambulance Service is seeking grant funds for the purchase of an ambulance.

How the grant funds would be used:
Type III Ambulance -Vehicles Acquisition Program:

Project Cost is -- $110,000.00
5% Local Match is -- $5,500.00
Federal Share is -- $104,500.00

We will provide (not through this grant) the ambulance with equipment that meets the minimum standards for basic life support response and transport.

As the Captain it is my responsibility to find ways the service can be available for all emergency calls. Consequently, I approached the members of the service, the city council, and the township board to get permission to apply for the grant and to ask for the matching funds if we receive the grant.

The City of XXX has an additional $4,950.00 to spend on this project.

Consequently, if we receive the grant we have an extensive driver and operational training once yearly, and we will ask the manufacturer to do operations training when the truck arrives.

The XXX Ambulance Service seeks AFG grant funds to assist our volunteer ambulance service in adequately performing basic life support and transport.

The application request is for funding the purchase of an ambulance that will replace an aged non-compliant vehicle currently in use.

This ambulance needs to be taken out of service due to the fact that is unsafe and unreliable, a new ambulance would meet OSHA and GSA KKK-A-1822E standards, as well as any other local and state guidelines.

It would also help with mutual aid to our surrounding communities. The need to improve and update our equipment is a tremendous concern, not only for the safety of our emergency medical technicians, but also for the surrounding townships and communities we serve.

The new ambulance would also benefit the neighboring cities when our department is requested for assistance.

FINANCIAL NEED:
----------------
Local funding is not readily available in XXX.

Approximately 75% of our community is of senior citizens and low-income families. The overall population in XXX has decreased by 5.7% in recent years according to the 2000 census.

With the decline in population, the local tax base is not growing; negatively affecting the tax bases ability to support the Ambulance Service.

XXX has very few industries providing employment within the town; the majority of employment occurs in the larger towns averaging twenty-five miles away.

The median household income according to the 2000 census was $30, 278. The service is, and has always been, respected and supported by the community.

However, due to current economic times, our service needs greatly exceed available financial support.

A project of this magnitude is just not affordable for our community.

The State of Minnesota currently is experiencing the biggest budget shortfall in the state¿s history of 4.2 Billion Dollars.

In order to assist in balancing the deficit, the Minnesota legislature will be reducing the state aid to our city this year and possibly elimination aid all together next year.

To further complicate this matter, the State is eliminating the authority of local communities to raise local property taxes and to issue bonds to maintain or fund new acquisitions or building projects.

The shortfalls are so significant that it will be a challenge to our service just to maintain.

Local funding is not readily available in XXX. A project of this size is just not affordable for our community.

XXX Budget:
Recipts 40,083.82

Expenses $30,820.96
Wages: $5,154.80
Supplies: $2,587.82
Repairs: $1,686.50
Equipment: 605.00
License & PO Box rental: $246.00
Insurance: $856.32
Gas & Oil: $886.77
Education: $11,773.80
Advertsing/Misc.: $1,633.15
Depreciation: $4,700.00
Accounts Payable: $690.80

COST/BENEFIT:
-------------
Knowing that we can get in the ambulance and go as soon as we get to the hall, without the worry of it not starting, would create confidence in our service members when the need arises.

The benefits to the community and our department are numerous.

The department will be able to work with an ambulance that is a safe, compliant vehicle fully equipped to complete basic life support duties while in transport to one of the area hospitals (closest one is 20 miles away) efficiently and effectively.

Getting to an emergency call or residence safely is also a very important factor. This ambulance would certainly ensure safer travel for our service.

The ambulance will also benefit surrounding townships and neighboring cities when our department is requested to assist with mutual aid/assistance.

Being the small community that we are, we can only afford one ambulance to service the emergency needs of our community.

We go on approximately 70 calls per year and the need for an ambulance, which is updated and running efficiently, is a significant factor.

The new ambulance would also enable us to provide better, faster service to our community and the surrounding communities.

The XXX Ambulance Service seeks AFG grant funds to assist our volunteer ambulance service in adequately performing basic life support and transport.

The application request is for funding the purchase of an ambulance that will replace an aged vehicle that is currently in use.

This project will update the XXX Ambulance Service to meet MN-OSHA and GSA KKK-A-1822E standards and help with mutual aid to our surrounding communities.

STATEMENT OF EFFECT:
----------------------
The XXX Ambulance Service is seeking AFG funding to help us get our service in compliance with OSHA and MN ST 182.653 properly and with up-to-date modern equipment so our volunteers are safe in all the situations we respond to when assisting our citizens in our daily operations. This award will have the most positive affect on our daily operations and the safety of our EMT¿s.

Our service is very dedicated to protect lives and property, serving our people and we are the type of service that the AFG fund is supposed to help. All of our members are certified EMT¿s.

Each year our service responds to a minimum of seventy calls and having a new ambulance and compliant equipment will help us meet the demands on our service. The need for a new ambulance is disproportionate to our tax revenues and the resources that we possess in our small community.

We will track the impact of this grant over the next five years as we measure its positive impact on our community.

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

We will close out the grant process within one year.

Thank You for your consideration.
XXXX
XXX Ambulance Service