GRANTS
Even in the best of economic times, our Department realizes that we cannot expect all of our funding to come from the City’s normal revenue sources. That is why we have developed a grant writing team and have been actively seeking grants to fund equipment purchases and programs that cannot be provided through the regular Fire Department budget.
In 2002, 2003, and 2004 our Department was successful in receiving grants from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program.
In 2002, the grant was made to purchase two thermal imaging cameras through a federal government program called. We applied along with over 19,500 other fire departments in the United States. Through this program, 5,316 departments received awards totaling over $334,000,000. As you can tell this was a very competitive process and we are very happy to be awarded these funds. Our total award was $15,400 towards the purchase of the two cameras. (For more information on thermal imaging cameras, go to the Thermal Imagers link on our web site).
In May 2003, the Fire Department applied for a competitive grant from the Department of Homeland Security, (FEMA’s new parent organization), to purchase enough self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to replace old-style units that do not meet current safety standards. The Department starting converting to current technology two years ago but many older units were still in use. FEMA notified the Department on October 30, 2003 that our grant had been funded.
For communities with populations over 50,000, legal and regulatory requirements of the grant award require a 30% local cash match to the federal share of 70%. Based on the project cost estimate and following FEMA’s evaluation of the request, the federal grant award amount is $72,916. The total project amount is $104,167 making the City’s 30% share $31,251.
The new SCBA have been placed on eight of our fire apparatus to replace SCBA purchased in 1988. Those models were no longer National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) compliant and they are not compatible with the newer ISI Viking SCBA packs and masks placed in service two years ago. The grant funded sixteen new ISI Viking SCBA sets (including the SCBA pack, cylinder, face piece, radio patch cord, voice amplification system, buddy breather system and integrated PASS device). This equips all of our active firefighting staff with OSHA, NIOSH, and NFPA-approved SCBA that can be used with their assigned, fit-tested masks. The grant also includes the purchase of a test bench (used to fit equipment to our individual firefighters) and 30 carbon fiber cylinders to replace those that are ending their service life in 2003 and 2004. Having spare cylinders available is very important because at the scene of a fire, all on-duty personnel are working hard, breathing heavily, and can empty a 30-minute rated cylinder in just 15 minutes. The ability to change out an air cylinder quickly and continue working is crucial.
In 2004, the Fire Department received a grant to install an emergency power generator at Station 74. Prior to that time, only Station 71 had an emergency generator. Now in the event of a power failure, at least one fire station on each side of the city (divided by the freeway) will have emergency electrical power necessary to run the interior and exterior lights, apparatus bay doors, vehicle exhaust extraction system, radio system, phones, emergency incident printer, alert tones, and public address system.
Also in 2004, Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company donated almost $10,000 to purchase a public education tool called “Sparky the Fire Dog” in order to teach our children about fire and life safety. Sparky is a child-sized robot that drives a little fire engine. Operated by remote control, Sparky can carry on a conversation with the children which is a great learning experience.
The Fire Department applied for another grant from the Department of Homeland Security/FEMA to purchase equipment for one of our two new fire engines, but that request was denied. The federal grant program is very competitive, since there is only a limited amount of funding available.
One of the programs we would like to see funded through grants or donations is a Public Access Defibrillation Program, which would provide access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) by trained laypersons in the community when someone suffers from a sudden cardiac arrest. Our ambulances and fire engines have AEDs, but it is a fact that the sooner a person in sudden cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation receives defibrillation, the better their chances are for survival. For that reason we would like to see AEDs located in places where large numbers of people gather, recreational areas, and schools. For more information on AEDs, go to the Automated External Defibrillator link on our web site.
Applying for grants is just another way that our Department works to maximize taxpayer dollars by finding additional sources of revenue so that we can continue to provide excellent customer service to the community.
