| * 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 |
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| * 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. | |
| Fire Grant Program Narrative The XXXX Volunteer Fire Department is located in the City of XXXX, XXXX County, Minnesota. XXXX is approximately XX miles northwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul. XXXX is a rapidly growing rural community with primarily retirement age population, in the lakes area of XXX Minnesota, 4 miles North of Interstate XXX. Project Description and Budget: ---------------------------------- The XXXX Fire Department is seeking funds from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program under the Firefighting Vehicle Acquisition Program to purchase a 2000 gallon tender that will serve our community for the next 25 years or more. Through our comprehensive risk assessment, we have established the need for a higher capacity tender to replace our old tender. Our rural area surrounding the City of XXXX is rapidly growing, but our hydrant coverage has remained the same. The project that we are requesting to be funded includes a new 2000 gallon tender to replace a 1980, 1500 gallon tender. This 1500 gallon tender vehicle is not in compliance with any of the OSHA, NFPA, or D.O.T regulations. This poses a life safety issue for our department members, as well as our neighboring communities that we support. In addition to this request we will seek funding for a NFPA compliant instructor lead comprehensive driving course for the entire 25 member department. This will be an approximately $200 per member, totaling $5,000. This vehicle will include the following specifications: 2,000 gallon; single axle tender; 500 gallon per minute pump; 3000 gallon drop tank; 2 inch direct fill. It shall also meet all NFPA 1901 and OSHA compliances. BUDGET: Total projected cost of the apparatus:--$160,000 Comprehensive Driver Course:--$5,000 Total Project:--$165,000 Required 5% Match:--$8,250 Federal Share:--$156,750 Financial Need: ------------------- The XXXX Fire Department is requesting the assistance from FEMA on this request due to our small budget. Most of our annual operating budget pays minimal department expenses. We have identified the need for a new tender, but it would take us 10 or more years to be able to raise the funds on our own. City Budget General Fund...........$71,148.00 Water Fund.............$28,100.00 Sewer Fund.............$24,800.00 Fire Budget...........$24,000.00 Fire Department Budget Utilities................................3,400.00 Fire hall maintenance & repair...........1,000.00 Fuel for fire trucks.....................1,400.00 Truck & Equipment repair.................2,200.00 Fire Fighter training....................2,000.00 Physicals & meetings.....................1,400.00 Personal safety equipment................4,000.00 Office expenses............................500.00 Fire Fighter dues..........................750.00 Accounting Fees............................600.00 Fire equipment...........................2,500.00 Snow removal...............................750.00 Officer Stipend..........................1,000.00 Truck replacement........................2,500.00 Total Fire Department Budget...........$24,000.00 Cost/Benefit: ------------------ The XXXX Fire Department covers approximately 48 square miles in the lakes area of XXX Minnesota. The popular lake area is rapidly growing with many high value residential homes and lake cabins being built. Only five percent is covered by hydrants, leaving the remaining ninety five percent to be covered by tender water shuttle. We have recently implemented automatic mutual aid with our 3 neighboring communities, and our county has implemented a County wide mutual aid program in case of a large scale fire scene. The replacement of our oldest tender with a new, compliant tender would have a significant positive impact on our firefighters’ safety, the well being of our rural and lakes area population, as well as the potential assistance to mutual aid departments. Our department currently has 1 tender with a total capacity of 1500 gallons, which can be exhausted quickly when operating at full capacity. This puts our firefighters at a high risk when entering a structure, or attacking one of the many grass fires we attend to in a typical year if we can not provide adequate water supply. In addition, the high dollar commercial properties in our response area are a concern for us to have adequate immediate water supply. By receiving the requested funding, we would increase our current immediate water capacity on fire scenes and decrease the amount of time that we are without water and waiting for another mutual aid tender to arrive in the rural areas. Our response area also includes sections of Interstate Highway 94 where we respond to motor vehicle accidents. This unit will also allow us to provide fire protection during extrication, but also provide some means of protection insuring scene safety in these areas of traffic speed. Statement of Effect: ---------------------- The XXXX Fire Department is seeking FEMA funding to assist us in getting our department in compliance with OSHA and NFPA regulations so our volunteers are safe in all hazardous situations we respond to when assisting our citizens in our emergency tasks. This grant will have a positive effect on our daily operation. It will fill in the gap our department has had for years with the lack of a compliant pumper. Our department is very dedicated to protect the lives and property serving our growing community. It is our hope and intent to provide the best service possible for our area now and into the future and we believe that the XXXX Fire Department will utilize the funds allocated to us to meet the intent and spirit of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, and the wishes of Congress. The funds that we are asking for will be used within one year of the award. We will be tracking the impact of this grant over the next five (5) years as we measure it's positive impact on our community. Thank you for the opportunity to apply. |
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