WINNING NARRATIVE 2006


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The XXX Volunteer Fire Department is located, 200 miles northwest of Minneapolis/St. Paul along Interstate 94. We serve a 309 square mile area with a population of 1600 people and 20 miles of an interstate highway. We are requesting $135,185.00 in the Operations and Safety Equipment program area.

Project description and Budget:
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After a risk assessment the XXX Fire Department is seeking funds from the Operations and Safety Program to replace some of our non compliant equipment and add some new equipment to provide safer and more effective services to our community.

The XXX Fire department has reviewed the frequency of calls and, the outcome of these calls, and also held an open forum with our firefighters and it became readily apparent that we had a safety issue with the items we are seeking funds for.

The XXX Volunteer Fire Department lacks the following equipment to provide basic emergency response services without seriously jeopardizing the safety of our firefighting personnel through the Operations and Safety Equipment program area.

- One Mini Verticus single phase electric 7.5 HP 9.7 CFM Compressor with CO monitor
- Two bottle air cascade air storage system
- One Containment fill station to protect the operator from overpressure and fragmentation
- Sixteen SCBA packs with face pieces and integrated PASS system
- Sixteen Spare SCBA Bottles
- One Mini Simo Hydraulic Pump
- One Universal Hydraulic Extrication Spreader
- One MOC Hydraulic Extraction Cutter
- One Three Stage Telescoping Hydraulic Ram
- One Set of Stabilization Bars
- One Set of Traffic Safety Signs and Cones
- One Vehicle Entry Kit

We currently have eight SCBA¿s that are over 20 years old and are no longer NFPA, OSHA or Minnesota state law compatible.
We also have interoperability issues because multiple different styles of SCBA¿s in our inventory.

By not having SCBA¿s in the quantity needed, in compliance with current NFPA standards, OSHA regulations, and Minnesota State law 182.653, or being inoperable, our firefighters safety is being put in jeopardy because of inadequate or non-existent respiratory protection equipment and our ability to provide mission critical services is negatively affected.

Funding from this grant will help us purchase 16 new SCBA¿s that will be NFPA 1981, OHSA 1910.134, and Minnesota State law 182.653 compliant with an integrated PASS device, heads-up display (HUD) one 30 minute bottle, and have universal rescue connections for rapid intervention teams. Of our 24 firefighters, 16 are certified and trained in using SCBA's. The remaining eight have chosen not to become certified because of age or other reasons. Each SCBA will also come with one extra 30 minute bottle.

This funding will also include purchase of a new 7.5 HP electric breathing air compressor with a Carbon Monoxide Monitoring System and a 2-cylinder 6000-PSI cascade system. We will meet the MN State Law 182.653 and OSHA 1910.156, 1910.134.

All new equipment will meet or exceed NFPA 1981, NFPA 1989 standards and all applicable ANSI standards. This system will allow us to fill the 2216-PSI cylinders that we have requested. In the past years, we have had to drive 40 miles to have our SCBA tanks filled. This inconvenience made it very difficult to train with our SCBA¿s because of the time it took us to refill our tanks.

We could provide better training with quality breathing air for our firefighters if this situation can be corrected. We are also requesting a two-position, Class 2 containment fill station for filling cylinders that are NFPA 1901 compliant, which will contain any fragments from a ruptured cylinder and also prevent overfilling of cylinders. This is something our department does not currently have.

The last part of our request is equipment that relates to safer and more efficient vehicle extrication and rescue.

With nineteen car accidents in 2005 and sixteen already in the first three months of 2006 we have discovered the need to replace our old (20 + years) extrication tools and add some new equipment to make vehicle extrication more efficient and safer for our firemen and also the victims.

The lack of traffic control and scene lighting provides a safety hazard that needs to be addressed immediately.

The Centaur Series extrication tools are to replace an old Hurst tool that is 20 years old. The old one is bulky and heavy to use. It is also getting very slow and does not have enough pressure to cut through some of the stronger metals of the new cars.

The new tools are a lot lighter, faster and safer for our rescuers to use. This hydraulic tool system will include a mini simo pump that will operate two tools at one time, a spreader, a cutter, and a three stage ram. We currently do not have a ram that is needed in many extrication procedures on today¿s vehicles. This will also bring us into compliance with NFPA standard 1670.

We are also looking to purchase a set of air lift bags and stabilization bars used for lifting or stabilizing vehicles or heavy equipment to provide safe rescue procedures.

A small generator with scene lighting, reciprocating saw, traffic control signs, safety cones and traffic safety wands to be mounted on a flashlight will complete the items needed for the XXX Fire Department to safely operate and control traffic at all traffic scenes.

The XXX Volunteer Fire Department has the required 5% money plus a limited amount of funds to add to the match that may be needed..

Total Project Cost ¿¿¿. = $142,300.00
Required 5% Match¿¿¿¿ = $7115.00
Federal Share ¿¿¿¿¿ = $135,185.00

Financial Need:
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The XXX Fire Department proposes the purchase of Personal Protective, Vehicle Rescue, and Safety equipment at a cost of $142,300 along with training at a cost of $2,400. With an annual budget of only $20,000 it makes it impossible to replace our non compliant equipment and purchase this new equipment. Our $20,000 a year budget is used to pay operating bills, training, and maintenance on our fire equipment and building.

2005 Fire Budget

Supplies - $4,064.77
Phone - $530.68
Electric/Heat - $2,971.34
Insurance - $2,845.00
Training - $2,257.18
Miscellaneous - $9,571.09

Total - $22,240.06

As you can see we were over our budget by $2,240.06. Our small budget does not allow us to make large purchases like this to keep up with the new standards. We do have fund raisers each year to help out with the operating costs and make small equipment purchases.

Having a department in a small town makes it hard for local fund raisers to raise large amounts of money for the fire department. In our town we usually have at least one benefit a year to help out a family with a medical situation.

Our community and fire department personal are very supportive of people in need. However, it makes it hard for individuals and business to give donation to our fire department. We do have the funds to provide our 5% matching share, and we are willing to provide any additional funding that may be needed.

Cost/Benefit:
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The XXX Fire Department¿s main concern is firefighter safety. We also have a very high concern for the safety of our mutual aid departments as well as the safety of the people we protect.

The largest factor keeping us from providing the safety we deserve is the lack of money needed to purchase compliant equipment to replace obsolete equipment. With the funding of this grant our fire department would be able to perform much safer firefighting and rescue techniques.

XXX Fire Department would also be able to provide our neighboring departments with the safe mutual aid they deserve from us. Mutual aid is used a great deal during the day because of many members working out of their fire and rescue district.

Our fire district protects six grain elevators, a K-12 school, 20 miles of interstate highways, 20 miles of railroad, two petroleum pipelines with a pumping station, along with many homes and businesses.

Two of the grain elevators also provide fertilizer, chemical storage, one large propane tank, three large anhydrous ammonia storage tanks, and large grain handling facilities. The protection of the railroad and the interstate highway provides a threat of hazardous material spill, vehicle accidents, train derailment, and all types of fires.

Without the funding of this grant the XXX Fire Department will not have the proper equipment to provide the safest working conditions.

Statement of effect:
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With the help of this grant the XXX Fire Department could provide the best possible protection for our fire and rescue district and all the lives in it. The new personal protective equipment and the vehicle rescue equipment would allow our fire department the equipment ro match and protect the personal we have on our department.

The XXX Fire Department takes great pride in firefighter and civilian safety as our past records show. However, we feel the need to replace our obsolete equipment and add some new equipment to our department is necessary to keep these numbers to a minimum.

Please consider us for the 2006 Assistance to Firefighters Grant.

The XXX Fire Department would like to thank all who are involved in the grant making decision.