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.
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XXX is a small farming community located XX miles northwest of Minneapolis on the intersection of US Highway
71 and MN Highway XXX. Hazardous and questionable materials are transported through our community on these two
(2) highways and the railroad on a daily basis.

The fire department consists of twenty-six (26) personnel trained in fire fighting. Twenty (20) of our members are also
trained in emergency medical services and rescue.


PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND BUDGET:
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The critical analysis of XXX Fire and Rescue, completed by department members and city officials, revealed that
our firefighters are being exposed to health hazards every time they enter the fire hall and put on their turn-out gear.
XXX Fire and Rescue requests funds to purchase the following three (3) items to remedy this and provide a safer
atmosphere for our firefighters:
1. Vehicle exhaust removal system.
2. Washer / extractor for turn-out gear and equipment.
3. Site generator for the fire hall.

PROJECT BUDGET:
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1. Vehicle exhaust removal system - $27,700
2. Washer / extractor - $12,700
3. Site generator - $30,000

Total Project Cost - $70,400
Federal Share for Project – 5% - $3,520
City Share for Project – 95% - $66,880


FINANCIAL NEED:
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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 sky-rocket; 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 higher
paying 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)
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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:
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A direct source capture diesel exhaust removal system will be installed directly to three (3) of our apparatus, not
requiring any modification to our facilities. The system will automatically eliminate carcinogenic diesel exhaust particles
while the engines are running and improve the quality of air in our fire hall. This system will bring us into compliance with
OSHA and NFPA standards. Once the system is installed we plan to white-wash the building from floor to ceiling,
including all equipment and furniture to remove the contaminants.

We host a variety of guests including Kindergarten children, Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, city
officials, town board officials, sales people, and our own families who are all being exposed to these contaminants.
This will have a substantial positive health impact on our firefighters and visitors to our hall.

XXX Fire / Rescue Department averages nearly seventy-five (75) calls per year. On average we respond with four
(4) vehicles per call and on occasion we respond with seven (7) vehicles. Our fire hall is small and cramped in the truck
bays and the exhaust fumes become severe, especially in cold weather when the trucks are warmed up inside.
Exposure to these fumes can cause severe illness and we feel our firefighters need to be better protected. A vehicle
exhaust system will remedy this problem.

The first step we take when paged for an incident is to start all necessary vehicles to let them warm up while we put on
our turn-out gear. The vehicle exhaust system will remove carbon monoxide, carcinogens, and other contaminants from
the air which will protect our firefighters from breathing deadly fumes.

Our turn-out gear is four (4) years old and due to a variety of calls, it looks like they are twenty (20) years old. The
turn-out gear is stored in the truck bay area and is exposed to exhaust fumes. Every time our firefighters put on this
gear they are being exposed to contaminants from fires and rescues to include carcinogens and blood.

Our local Laundromat has asked us not to use their washers because of the mess and contamination it leaves in the
machines. Most of our personal washers are too small to handle the big coats and pants and it isn’t smart to
contaminate machines used for family laundry so our turn-out gear has not been washed in four (4) years. A washer /
extractor would give us the tools necessary to clean our gear and reduce hazardous exposures for our firefighters.

The washer / extractor will be installed in the hall which will give our firefighters the opportunity to wash their turn-out
gear and equipment contaminated during calls and by exhaust fumes. This will remove hazardous materials and help
keep our firefighters safe. The gear will last longer being clean and the gear will be more flexible for the firefighters to
wear allowing them to perform with better efficiency.

Medical claims, Workmen’s comp claims, lost work time, and inconvenience for the firefighters and their families are all
excellent reasons to remedy these problems.

Our fire hall becomes very dangerous when the power goes out. The vehicles are packed in tight because the truck
bay area is too small. There is no light available from windows and the bay doors are extremely heavy to lift by hand.
Our response time out of the hall is terribly slow when the power is out and our firefighters are running into equipment
and each other risking injury. A standby site generator would provide the power necessary to light and heat the hall and
run the overhead doors. This would reduce the risk of injury and also reduce our response time which would result in
less property loss and improve preservation of life.

During power outages the standby site generator will provide the necessary power to light and heat the hall and will
allow us to open the overhead doors with the openers. It requires one (1) firefighter to climb a ladder to release the
opener and three (3) firefighters to lift the door safely. We will be able to open all three (3) of our bay doors without the
risk to firefighters. The light will allow our firefighters to put on their equipment and prepare for departure without
running into equipment and personnel. The heat will maintain the hall at a safe temperature to avoid freezing water lines
and equipment. Our response time and firefighter safety will improve with the addition of the generator.

Our twenty-six (26) members and the 122 firefighters of our mutual aid partners, the fire and rescue departments from
Brooten, Elrosa, Lake Henry, Paynesville, New London will benefit from this equipment as well. On occasion we train
together and after mutual aid calls we utilize our hall for de-briefing and recovery. The exhaust system will insure the air
is safe for the firefighters and the generator will provide heat and light to insure firefighter safety. The washer /
extractor will be available for use by any members of our mutual aid departments in the same manner that we keep
their SCBA tanks filled with our air compressor / fill station.

Twenty-one (21) of our twenty-six (26) members are Firefighter 1 and 2 trained and twenty (20) members are First
Responder trained. Five (5) members, each with over twenty-five (25) years experience, will be retiring in the next
three (3) years. The city policy for all new members is to complete Firefighter 1 and 2 training and First Responder
training in the first year of membership. We are working toward compliance with NFPA standards. We are not
requesting training funds at this time.

All of the items requested in this application are directly related to firefighter and public safety and promote improved
efficiency and effectiveness of our department. Without the aid of this grant we will not be able to make these
purchases.

If this grant is not awarded, these items of equipment will not be purchased because funds are not available. Not having
this equipment will continue to create an unsafe, unreliable, and inefficient work scenario for our fire fighters and the
public we serve.

STATEMENT OF EFFECT:
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To achieve compliance with NFPA and OSHA requirements XXX Fire and Rescue needs to provide safety
equipment to protect our firefighters and to improve our service to our community. XXX Fire and Rescue is
requesting AFG funds to accomplish this task.

Correction of these dangerous situations will have a positive affect on our firefighters and our community.
Keeping our firefighters healthy by reducing contaminants and physical dangers will have a significant impact on our
ability to function efficiently and effectively. It will reduce response time and improve our ability to protect lives and
property.

Every emergency response presents new challenges and demands. Our firefighters are very dedicated and work hard
to meets them. This new equipment will help us meet these every day changes while keeping our firefighters healthy
and safe.

The City of XXX, XXX Fire / Rescue Department and members of the surrounding service area thank you 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.

Thank you for giving consideration to this grant request.
XXX Fire and Rescue