| * Please indicate which of these Target Capabilities your request outlined in this application will satisfy. Check all that apply: | |
| Responder Safety and Health Firefighting Operations/Support Hazardous Materials Response Search and Rescue Emergency Medical Services Communications |
|
| * Please provide your narrative statement in the space provided below. Include in your narrative, details regarding (1) your project’s description and budget, (2) your organization’s financial need, (3) the benefit to be derived from the cost of your project, and (4) how the activities requested in your application will help your organization’s daily operations and how this grant will protect life and property. | |
| XXX is a small farming community located XX miles
northwest of
Minneapolis on the intersection of US Highway XXX and MN Highway XX.
Hazardous and questionable materials are transported through our
community on these two highways and the railroad on a daily basis. The
fire department consists of 26 personnel trained in fire fighting.
Fourteen of those members are also trained in emergency medical
services and rescue with 6 members taking training to be completed in
the near future. A critical analysis was conducted by members of our
department to determine the shortcomings as described in the Project
Description.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BUDGET: Emergency services rely heavily on good communications at local scenes and when involved in mutual aid situations. XXXX County has committed to convert to the new 800 Mhz radio system to be in compliance with the Minnesota State Radio Plan. This system is not compatible with our current radio system . To be able to communicate with our local police, our five mutual aid partners, ambulances, and county dispatch, we will need new radios. Without the ability to share timely and critical information on scene, our firefighters’ safety will be jeopardized. We are requesting funds to purchase 1 – 800 Mhz base unit, 3 – 800 Mhz mobile units, and 6 – hand-held portable units in an effort to become compliant and operational with the county system. Carbon monoxide-related calls are increasing due to the rising number of detectors in homes and businesses. We receive calls caused because these detectors activate and at present our only capability is to evacuate the building and ventilate. We do not have a gas monitor to conduct readings to determine whether the activated detector is actually getting a correct reading or has malfunctioned. After we evacuate and ventilate, without a monitor we have no way of knowing whether we have ventilated enough. It is very difficult to allow people to return to a building when the building is not yet determined to be safe, and our personnel are not trained to locate and repair issues that can cause carbon monoxide concerns. Safety is our ultimate concern, and allowing people to return to a building that has been evacuated due to detector activation without some way of monitoring these gases creates an awkward situation for department personnel. We are requesting funds to purchase 1 – 4-Gas Monitor capable of reading levels of Carbon Monoxide, LP Gas, Anhydrous Ammonia, and Chlorine. As a farming community, we are exposed to anhydrous ammonia regularly; the two major highways and an active railroad that passes through town expose us to other potential risks where a 4-gas monitor should be employed.. Our pumper has the capability for foam through two pre-connected 1.5 inch hose lays. Our policy is to carry 200 feet of hose on each of these lines to allow fast attack on structural fires. The pumper also has a 1 inch booster line on a reel that is used primarily for vehicle fires; however, it does not have the capability for foam. Our experience has shown that foam use at a vehicle fire reduces call time and exposure risks, but we lose too much time pulling 200 feet of 1.5 inch hose at a scene where there is a need for foam and not the need for volume. We also use a 1 inch booster line of 200 feet on our grass rig to reach stubborn tree and post fires. Foam in this instance ensures that our fire fighters are not wasting time, energy, and water on a scene where these items are critical. We are requesting funds to purchase 2 – 1 inch Cartridge style Foam Nozzles and 20 - Foam Cartridges for use on our two booster lines. PROJECT BUDGET: 1 Each – 800 Mhz Base Radio - $5,500 3 Each – 800 Mhz Mobile Radio @ $3,500 - $10,500 6 Each – 800 Mhz Hand-Held Portable Radio @ $2,600 - $15,600 1 Each – 4-Gas Monitor - $750.00 2 Each – 1” Cartridge Foam Nozzle @ $1,000.00 - $2,000.00 20 Each – Foam Cartridge @ $22.00 - $440.00 Total Project Cost - $34,790 Federal Share for Project - $33,051 City Share for Project - $1,739 FINANCIAL NEED: XXX is a small farming community that is struggling to keep up with costs due to the closure of many family farms in the area, changes in farming practices that require fewer people, and cuts in financial assistance from higher government. The budget income continues to decline while costs of fuel, maintenance, services, and supplies continue to rise; this makes it very hard for the city to make ends meet financially. Local service groups are experiencing the same declines due to the number of people leaving our area for better jobs, so fundraising and donations are simply not available. Our community supported us well in the past, but this has changed because of declines in both population and per capita income. This project will not be funded without these grant funds because the local money is just not there. CITY BUDGET: (3 Year Average) Revenues - $558,739 Expenses – General Government - $92,665 (16.1%) Public Works - $107,545 (18.7%) Police - $99,130 (17.2%) Fire - $53,364 (9.3%) Parks / Recreation - $15,363 (2.7%) Fixed Costs - $48,700 (8.5%) Economic Development - $113,993 (19.8%) Nursing Home - $45,421 (7.9%) FIRE / RESCUE DEPARTMENT BUDGET: (3 Year Average) Funds From City - $53,364 Expenses – Salaries - $1,784 (3.3%) Manhours - $9,493 (17.8%) Utilities - $5,420 (10.2%) Training - $9,899 (18.5%) Audit / Insurance - $1,575 (3.0%) Supplies / Repairs - $25,198 (47.2%) COST / BENEFIT: XXX Fire / Rescue Department averages near 60 calls per year. These calls involve communications with local police, county dispatch, mutual aid partners, and ambulance services, as well as within our own organization. The 800 Mhz radios requested will be used regularly and will ensure that we are compatible with our local and area communications needs. Good communications are necessary to provide timely information and to ensure firefighter and public safety. The 4-Gas monitor will provide the ability to determine whether a problem exists and, if so, at what level of risk. This is critical for the safety of the firefighters and the public. Spills, leaks, and detector activations will be handled faster and more effectively because we will have more reliable information. Adding foam-capable nozzles to our booster lines will decrease call times and fire fighter stress as well as protecting surrounding exposures. Fire fighter safety will improve with faster attack and suppression capabilities. Resources including time, water, and man-power will be saved, which makes this equipment fiscally responsible. If this grant is not awarded, these items of equipment will not be purchased primarily because funds are not available. Not having this equipment will continually create an unsafe, unreliable, and inefficient work scenario for our fire fighters and the public we serve. STATEMENT OF EFFECT: The 800 Mhz radios will allow the XXX Fire / Rescue Department to communicate important information on a timely basis to those units in need of that knowledge. Portable radios will allow officers to communicate with personnel on the scene, to include the interior attack members and to share critical tactical and safety information. Department personnel, mutual aid partners, local police, ambulances, and county dispatch will know what is happening and what is expected of them at a scene, which greatly improves fire fighter safety and operational efficiency. Our fire fighting team and our public will benefit when we can communicate effectively. We will be able to identify faulty detectors with the use of a 4-gas monitor. In dangerous scenes, fire fighter and public safety will be greatly enhanced with the use of a 4-gas monitor. This monitor will allow our personnel to determine when an area is safe or needs to be evacuated; this will save lives and reduce injuries. We will know whether our ventilation procedures are working and when ventilation can be stopped. We cannot continue to rely on our noses and our eyes to protect against carbon monoxide, LP gas, anhydrous ammonia, and chlorine. Foam has proven to be a very effective tool against stubborn fires. Adding two foam nozzles to our equipment will provide faster and more effective fire suppression tactics at vehicle fires and heavy brush fires. Vehicle fires often happen in areas where other exposures are at risk, such as garages, homes, and other vehicles, and the best way to protect those additional exposures is to extinguish the fire rapidly. Having quick access to foam will reduce this risk. Heavy brush fires often leave behind logs, trees, and many types of wooden posts that are still burning long after the fire is out, and these items often cause recalls. Normally these are stubborn fires, and we waste precious time and water trying to extinguish them. Having foam capability on the lines will help put these stubborn fires out and eliminate extension to exposures and recalls. These are very favorable, measurable results. All of the items requested in this application are directly related to fire fighter and public safety and promote improved efficiency and effectiveness of our department. These items are all very versatile and can be used in many different ways, which make them even more valuable to our service. The City of XXX, XXX Fire / Rescue Department and members of the surrounding service area thank DHS and AFG for giving us the opportunity to take steps to improve the security and safety of our population through the assistance provided in this grant program. |
|