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.

--
XXXX is a small farming community located about XX miles northwest of Minneapolis between XX and XX on U.S.
Highway XX. XXXX Fire & Rescue consists of thirty (30) members, sixteen (16) of whom are trained for emergency medical
services. Because many people in our community work out of town or farm, our average personnel turn-out for calls is
around twelve (12).

PROJECTION DESCRIPTION AND BUDGET:
---------------------------------------------------------------
A risk analysis completed by department members and community officials revealed that we have a number of
operational problems when responding to calls.

XXXX Fire and Rescue is requesting funds for the following pieces of equipment to improve firefighter safety and
service to our community:

3 – 800 MHZ Mobile Radios
4 – 800 MHZ Portable Radios
2 – Earpieces compatible with 800 MHZ Portable Radios
1 – Thermal Imaging Camera
2 – 1-inch Cartridge style Foam Nozzles
20 – Foam Cartridges
1 – 4-Gas Monitor
1 – 2 KW Gas Portable Generator
1 – Tripod Stand w/2-500 Watt Quartz Lights
30 – Traffic Safety Vests
1 – Positive Pressure Fan
4 – Streamline Firefighter Portable Lights
1 – 13 KW Gas Generator

The City of XXXX has tried to save money for the purchase of equipment but our savings do not keep up with inflating
costs of fire equipment.

PROJECT BUDGET:
--------------------------
3 Each – 800 MHZ Mobile Radio @ $3,800 Each = $11,400
4 Each – 800 MHZ Portable Radio @ $2,600 Each = $10,400
2 Each – 800 MHZ Portable Radio Earpiece @ $600 Each = $1,200
1 Each – Thermal Imaging Camera - $10,000
2 Each – 1-inch Cartridge Foam Nozzle @ $1,000 Each = $2,000
20 Each – Foam Cartridge @ $22 Each = $440
1 Each – 4-Gas Monitor - $1,100
1 Each – 2 KW Gas Portable Generator - $1,100
1 Each – Tripod Stand w/2-500 Watt Quartz Lights - $500
30 Each – Traffic Safety Vests – @ $40 = $1,200
1 Each – Positive Pressure Fan – $1,600
4 Each– Streamlight Firefighter Portable Lights @ $120 = $480
1 Each – 13 KW Gas Generator - $3,300

Total Project Cost: $44,720
Grant Writer - $300
Grant Request: $45,020
City Share – 5% Match - $2,251
Federal Share – 95% - $42,769


FINANCIAL NEED:
---------------------------
XXXX, being a small community, does not generate enough revenue to purchase necessary pieces of equipment like
this without serious outside help. Trying to save over time for this is impossible because equipment prices increase at a
faster pace than what we can save.

Fund raising and donations have become very sparse due to the decline in the farm economy. Many farm owners are
renting out their land or have sold it to large corporations who don’t live in the area. The farm owner remains living in
the building site and retires to a fixed income. Our population remains the same, our emergency response area remains
the same, but our fund raisers and donations have virtually disappeared.

Budget cuts by federal, state, and county governments and continuing sky-rocketing operating costs have created a
very tight budget for the city just to maintain current equipment, much less make improvements. Fuels, repair parts, and
services continue to eat up more and more of the city funds leaving less to share among the various needs of the
community.

Without this grant this equipment will not be purchased and our firefighters will be forced to continue to operate in
unsafe conditions and our community will not have adequate protection.

CITY BUDGET:
--------------------------
Revenue - $50,662
Expenses – Fire - $14,330 (28.9%)
Sewer - $550 (1.1%)
Insurance - $3,883 (7.8%)
Electric / Garbage - $3,650 (7.4%)
City wages - $3,984 (8.1%)
Supplies - $981 (2.0%)
Street maintenance - $9,000 (18.1%)
Miscellaneous - $13,280 (26.7%)


FIRE & RESCUE BUDGET:
----------------------------------------
Revenue - $14,330
Expenses – Fuel - $2,629 (11.5%)
Supplies / Repairs - $9,455 (41.4%)
Utilities - $831 (3.6%)
Training - $3,598 (15.7%)
Wages - $1,400 (6.1%)
Dues / Insurance - $3,869 (16.9%)
Miscellaneous - $1,069 (4.7%)


COST BENEFIT:
-----------------------

This list of requested equipment is extensive but very necessary to bring our department into compliance with NFPA
and OSHA standards. The need for this equipment is imperative to provide for firefighter safety and to protect lives and
property.

The 800 MHZ radios will be used at all incidents and will ensure seamless information to all personnel. Confusion will be
reduced which will increase operational efficiency and effectiveness. Firefighter safety will improve because everyone
will have better information to work with.

Our interior attack teams will be able to communicate directly with the officers, providing more accurate and detailed
information. Better decisions will be made and firefighter safety will improve.

The thermal imaging camera will be used to enhance search and rescue and interior attack efforts. Better visibility and
heat sensing will result in more effective suppression activities and improved firefighter safety. Lives will be saved and
property loss will be reduced.

Salvage and overhaul operations will go faster and less property damage will occur because hot spots can be
pinpointed. Smaller sections of walls and ceilings will be disassembled by firefighters looking for problem areas. A
thermal imaging camera will provide for a thorough overhaul, reducing the number of recalls.

Foam nozzles will provide better overall fire suppression operations. Vehicle fires will be controlled faster. We will have
the tools necessary to deal with a fuel spill. Damage caused during salvage and overhaul will be reduced with less
water usage. Time and resources will be saved because the effectiveness of our operations will be improved.

We will use the 4-gas monitor on all carbon monoxide calls to determine air quality. Evacuation and ventilation can then
be employed as necessary. Progress in the ventilation process will be monitored to determine its effectiveness. The
4-gas monitor will provide readings necessary to determine whether it is safe to re-enter buildings. Because we do not
have a monitor, these decisions are made based on smell and sight, which is not reliable or safe.

Scene safety is a high priority, especially during night calls. Our vehicle lighting is limited to location which results in
back-side darkness and dangerous settings for our firefighters. The 2 KW portable generator, tripod light stand, and
new firefighter flashlights will illuminate areas that often hide clotheslines, swing sets, holes, and other obstacles and
provide the light necessary to accomplish tasks that are normally done in the dark.

The generator, light stand, and flashlights will also assist during off-road vehicle and farm machinery incidents. This
extra light will improve firefighter safety, efficiency, and effectiveness and save valuable time dealing with injured
victims.

We respond to vehicle accidents in our area, including many on U.S. Highway XXX. Our firefighters are at risk because
we do not have safety vests. Traffic safety vests for our members will make them more visible on scenes and improve
firefighter safety.

Ventilation is a key element when performing interior attack and search and rescue. Smoke and heat needs to be
removed from structures to allow firefighters access to the problem areas. A positive pressure fan will assist in
ventilation, providing firefighter protection and allowing our firefighters to work at peak efficiency.

Recently we have experienced a high number of power outages so we trained on our responses without electricity. We
found that our fire hall is not designed to function safely in the dark. Firefighters were stumbling around the equipment
and opening the bay doors required three people per door. Our response time was more than doubled in the dark and
our firefighters were exposed to injury. The 13 KW generator is large enough to power our hall to include lights, heat,
water, and the overhead bay doors. This will provide firefighter safety and reduce our response time during power
outages.

This equipment will improve our capability to perform our duties with greater efficiency and effectiveness which will
save time and reduce property loss. We will be less reliant on our mutual aid partners to provide necessary equipment
which will reduce their expenses as well.

We also provide mutual aid service to the 126 firefighters of XX, XX, XX, XX, and XX Fire and Rescue departments,
and we feel it is our duty to provide reliable equipment and trained personnel for them as they do for us.


STATEMENT OF EFFECT:
-------------------------------------
This request for AFG funds from XXXX Fire & Rescue is submitted with the goal of providing equipment to keep our
firefighters safe by following the standards and requirements of NFPA and OSHA.

Gaps in our emergency operations will be filled with this equipment and it will have a very positive affect on our
firefighters’ ability to improve service to our community.

The improvement to function efficiently and effectively will increase our ability to protect lives and property because of
the tremendous impact of this equipment on our personnel.

Our call volume increases annually, as do the growing demands and challenges. Our very dedicated firefighters work
hard to keep up with these changes and this equipment will help us provide the service our community needs.

XXXX Fire & Rescue has twenty-one (21) of twenty-five (25) members Firefighter 1 and 2 trained. Four (4) members
are nearing retirement and will be replaced with new members who are now required to complete Firefighter 1 and 2
and First Responder training in the first two (2) years of membership. Our goal is to reach 100% compliance with
NFPA training standards soon.

The City of XXXX, XXXX Fire & Rescue, and the townships we serve would like to thank you for the opportunity to
apply for this grant. This is the only way that we will be able to upgrade to a compliant firefighting unit.

Thank you for considering our grant application.
XXXX Fire & Rescue