WINNING NARRATIVE 2008




Project Description
* Please indicate which of these Target Capabilities your request outlined in this application will satisfy. Check all that
apply:
* 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.


The XXX Volunteer Fire Department is located in a farming community in the City of XXX. XXX is a town in
Minnesota about XX miles south of Minneapolis/St. Paul. We provide fire protection, rescue, and first responder
services to the people and property in our 54 square mile service area. We also have mutual aid agreements with XX
departments in XXX County and the surrounding area.

Project Description:
----------------------
After a risk assessment of our rural volunteer fire department two serious safety problems became grossly apparent.
The XXX Volunteer Fire Department Personal Protective Equipment is old, unsafe and does not comply with
MN-OSHA or NFPA 1971 standards. The average age of our PPE is over 10 years old with some of the coats dating
back to 1992 or earlier. We also do not have Thermal imaging cameras for fire fighting, search and rescue.

Our department requires all new members to take the current NFPA approved training class. All of our members have
been trained Basic Firefighter, Firefighter 1403, Firefighter 1, Firefighter 2 or Firefighter 1001. We train monthly to
keep members current. In 2007 we spent an additional $3000 to update our training resources at the department and
we use those resources in our training program. We also attend local technical college training courses and utilize the
online training classes.

Within the last 5 years our department purchased boots, hoods, gloves and helmets so we won’t be including those
items in the request.

The bunker gear we use has become inadequate due to its aging and use. A majority of our bunker gear is old and
worn, the seams are separating, have burn holes and they no longer provide proper protection for fire fighting and
traffic incidents. We do not have a call volume like big cities do but we do training exercises every month where we use
our PPE and training wears out the equipment just like actual calls do. Another problem we have is that many of our
firefighters do not have the correct size coat and pants, which is a safety issue in itself.

XXX is located along a major freeway, Interstate XXX, and our department responds to many traffic accidents at night
and our old bunker gear does not comply with the safety standards for reflective markings for a 70 mph interstate
highway.

Our goal is to have 100% of our department safe and compliant with the MN-OSHA and NFPA standards. We are
requesting funds for bunker gear, coats and pants, so 100% of the department is MN-OSHA/NFPA compliant.

Thermal Imaging cameras are another important piece of equipment required for the fire service and they would greatly
enhance our search and rescue operations. The addition of a Thermal Imaging Camera would allow us to manage fire
and rescue scenes more effectively. We are requesting two Thermal Imaging cameras; one for each engine.

The Thermal Imaging cameras will assist us in locating possible victims in smoke filled buildings and pinpoint hot spots
that might rekindle. Thermal Imaging cameras can locate the fire source becoming a vital tool to help us detect the heat
source through thick smoke, doors and walls, allowing firefighters to bring the fire under control. Also, because it
detects heat, rather than light, it will help us to locate lost victims in our remote, rural areas.

With the additional funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program our department will have enough
personal protective equipment to be 100% MN-OSHA/NFPA complaint and safe.

Total Cost 25 sets at $1600.00 each----$40,000
XXX City 5 % Matching Funds-----------$2,000
Federal Share--------------------------$38,000

2 Thermal Imaging Cameras--------------$20,000
XXX City 5 % Matching Funds-----------$1,000
Federal Share--------------------------$19,000

Total Funds Needed---------------------$60,000
XXX City 5% Grant Matching----------- $3,000
Total Grant Request--------------------$57,000

Total funds that we are asking for from AFG Grant Program are $57,000. This will provide the appropriate funds to
help ensure the safety of our firefighters, Township residents and surrounding communities through our mutual aid
agreements. Fund raisers have been unsuccessful in raising the amount of money needed for major purchases like this.


Financial need:
-------------------
The median income for a household in XXX County is $36,964 which does not provide much of a tax base to
support a project of this size. We live in a rural farming community and the farming economy has not been strong the
past few years, and due to cuts in state aid, the community does not have the funds available for a project of this size.

FIRE FUND EXPENDITURES-----2008 BUDGETED
WAGES, AFTER DED----------$600.00
PAYROLL TAXES--------------$45.00
INSURANCE---------------$5,200.00
OUTSIDE SERVICES--------$1,500.00
DUES & FEES---------------$400.00
REPAIRS & MAINTENANCE---$4,000.00
GAS & OIL---------------$1,750.00
SUPPLIES----------------$1,550.00
TELEPHONE-----------------$250.00
TRAINING----------------$9,000.00
CONVENTIONS & TRAVEL----$2,150.00
MINOR EQUIPMENT--------$18,925.00
FREIGHT-------------------$475.00
MISCELLANEOUS-------------$500.00
POSTAGE--------------------$50.00
OFFICE SUPPLIES-----------$250.00
TOTAL FIRE EXPENDITURES-$46,645.00


CITY EXPENDITURES-----2008 BUDGETED
GENERAL---------------$190,880.00
PUBLIC SAFETY---------$68,720.00
STREETS---------------$71,665.00
PARKS-----------------$37,725.00
DEPT SERVICE----------$43,485.00
CEMETERY---------------$5,355.00
MORIN LAKE PROJECT--------$60.00
FIRE DEPT-------------$46,654.00
TOTAL CITY EXPENDITURES-$464,535.00

As you can see, we are currently spending 10% of the city budget for day to day operations and there is no money
available to fund $60,000 for personal protective equipment and Thermal Imaging Cameras.


Cost/Benefit:
------------------
If our grant request is approved, it will provide the needed safety for our firefighters while responding to calls and
training in our service area. Also new bunker gear and Thermal Imaging Cameras will protect us each time we respond
if called to assist the XXX7 departments we have mutual aid agreements with. The cost benefit not only helps our local
service area but it will benefit the 32,000 plus citizens of XXX County and a small portion of the neighboring
counties population through our mutual aid agreements.

Our primary response area of 54 square miles is an agricultural community with many farms and agribusinesses. Our
traffic accident calls have doubled in the past three years and having old PPE with noncompliant reflective markings is a
major safety issue when working on the Freeway at night.

The town of XXX is a community that has a major interstate highway XXX, state highway XXX, a K-12 School, a gas
pipeline, and a rail system running through it, so there is always the potential for an emergency when you have that
type of critical infrastructure.

With an all volunteer department it is important that all 25 firefighters be fully outfitted with MN-OSHA and NFPA
compliant personal protective equipment because any of the 25 fire fighters can respond to fire and first responder
calls at any time. Some of our coats are the old knee length coats that were used before bunker pants were put in
service.

The consequence if funding is not approved is that all of our members would continue to respond to calls and train with
noncompliant bunker gear, putting those members at risk on every run and training exercise we do. Our main goal for
this request is to keep our firefighters safe, to serve our community and the surrounding area to the best of our ability.

Statement of effect:
-----------------------
Our department is dedicated to protecting lives and property within our community. This funding will help provide the
necessary Personal Protective Equipment to protect our firefighters from potential hazards encountered each time we
respond to emergency situations and when assisting our citizens in our daily operations.

Our department protects many farms, agricultural chemical businesses, K-12 School, propane facilities, major
interstate highway, railroad, and a natural gas pipeline. With that type of critical infrastructure having proper protective
equipment is significant for firefighter safety.

Each year our department responds to many different types of calls. 60% of our department is first responders, so
having safe compliant personal protective equipment will ensure firefighter safety in any situation.

The Thermal Imaging Cameras would make search and rescue operations much more efficient giving us the ability to
locate a victim much faster, which will increase the odds of a rescue rather than a recovery. It is extremely important
that every department have thermal imaging cameras. We are unable to purchase them because most of our funding
goes to day-to-day operations and up keep.

Thanks for your support and we appreciate the protection this grant will provide to our department.

Thanks for your consideration,
XXX Volunteer Fire Department