WINNING NARRATIVE 2008



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.


Our system has determined that you are a Rural community while you have entered that you are a Suburban
community. In addition to your narrative statement, please explain why you feel that you are a Suburban community.

The XXX Fire Department is located in the City of XXX, in XXX County in Minnesota. XXX is
located approximately XX miles south of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. The XXX Fire Department is a
100% paid on call department that covers an area of 88 square miles and provides fire protection to the City of
XXX as well as three neighboring Townships. The population directly served is over 25,000; also we have mutual
aid agreements with neighboring departments that serve over 390,000 people.

Explain why you feel that you are a Suburban community:
The service area for the XXX Fire Department is 88 Square Miles. In addition to the City of XXX the
XXX Fire Department also provides primary service to the Townships of XX, XX and XX,
Minnesota. These townships account for 74 square miles of our service area. While the township areas are rural, the
City of XXX is not. The City of XXX covers an area of 14 square miles. Of this area, 68% is
agricultural/open area, 8% is commercial/industrial business and 24% is residential. 73% of the population that we
serve is located within the City of XXX.

Project’s Description and Budget:
After a comprehensive risk assessment and analysis of our community and department needs, the XXX Fire
Department is seeking funds to purchase six (6) laptop computers and mounting hardware to be installed in each of our
two rescue vehicles, both engines and two chief’s vehicles.

The cost software that is available would be covered as part of the XXX Fire Departments user agreements.
Any user fees and air charges can be applied to the Departments operating budget. The funding of this project will
greatly enhance the ability of the XXX Fire Department to deliver quality service, while assuring the safety of our
responding firefighters.

Budget:
6 Panasonic Toughbook 30 with vehicle mounting hardware:
$3985 each for a total of $23,910.00
We have the 5% required match set aside in anticipation of a successful application.


Financial Need:
Because of its proximity to the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, as wall as the international airport and major
transportation routs, the community has experienced a substantial amount of growth. The 2000 census indicated that
the City of XXX has experienced over 100% growth in population between 1990 and 2000. A vast majority of
this growth has been residential, XXX has become primarily a “bed-room” community without a large commercial
tax base, and our revenue streams are limited. This growth has not subsided and the City now has an estimated
population of just over 20,000 (over 25,000 including the townships that we serve). This growth has required the City to
use the funding that it has available to provide additional and improve existing infrastructure to accommodate this
growth.

There have also been major changes in State funding contributions to local municipalities. During the 2003, the State of
Minnesota was facing an over four billion dollar budget deficit. The State substantially cut their local government aid
funding to help erase this deficit. As of this date, these cuts are still in effect. To further complicate this matter, the
State is eliminating the authority of local communities to raise local property taxes and to issue bonds to maintain or
fund new acquisitions or building projects. This has put a great hardship on the City of XXX and has resulted in
very little growth to the Fire Department’s equipment budget.

Without funding from this program, the City of XXX will not be able to come up with the funding to provide the
equipment requested in the foreseeable future, because if the City was to fund our requests, additional tax supported
debt would be required. The City’s current environment does not leave additional room in the tax levy for the additional
debt required to support the purchase of this project without creating a financial burden beyond the means of the
community.

As a department we have worked hard in seeking donations from local businesses and fraternal organizations to obtain
items that cannot be purchased through our budget. We recently raised funds through donations to purchase a thermal
imaging camera and an automated external defibrillator. We also have annual fundraising events, but it would take us
several years raise the funds required to acquire the MDT’s requested in this application through these events.

Our community has been very supportive with donations, but due the large amount that would need to be raised
through donations and the severe budget cuts proposed for our department, we will not be able to purchase the
requested apparatus without this grant. Recently the City has shown a slower than predicted growth, with shrinking
property values and declining revenues the City has had to cut back services and positions. In this case, until we see a
turn around, we are forced to do more with less. Even with the paid on call status of XXX Fire, almost 65% of
our budget goes to salaries and training. Couple that with 30% for operating costs for fuel, utilities and maintenance it
becomes difficult for us to fund this project.

Benefit to the Community:
We feel that the benefit of this proposal is very inexpensive for the population served. While the XXX Fire
Department will continue to respond to emergencies, this added tool will enable us to more efficiently deliver important
emergence services. This benefit of this technology will be used for every run the department is called to gaining a
large benefit for the cost.

The service delivery of the fire department will be greatly enhanced by accomplishing the following:
1. Reduced response times due to mapping.
2. Building/hazard data for responders.
3. Reduced record keeping time, making responders available for other calls sooner.
4. Wireless Internet access for Haz-Mat calls.

The access to this technology will be available to all of our responders daily. It will enhance the Departments ability to
deliver quality services for years to come.

The XXX Fire Department operates with 48 paid on call firefighters and is a member of the XXXX County
Mutual Aid Agreement. XXXX County has a population of over 375,000 and over 500 firefighters. Through this mutual
aid agreement, the communities of XXXX County support one another with equipment and personnel. This agreement
also ensures that the fullest possible coverage and service is available to all communities within the region. It is
important that we have the tools and equipment to provide our services when needed. This will help ensure better
protection for responders, the people we serve and property we protect.

Impact on Daily Operations:
Late last year, as part of a 24 department dispatch consolidation, XXX Fire Department gained the capability to
access our records management system and computer aided dispatch information including mapping and global
positioning by a remote computer terminal with an air card. This technology was previously not available to the
members of the XXX Fire Department.

With this added capability the XXX Fire Department will be able to deliver a higher level of service while keeping
our firefighters safe. The mapping and call information software (Printrak) that is available will be at the responding
units fingertips and will to prove valuable in reducing response times. Units will have an address displayed and a map
showing them the quickest route. This is important to us as we are a growing community with new streets and address
happening frequently. It is hard to stay current!

The second benefit is having our records management system available to responding units. Currently we subscribe to
a web-based records management system (ImageTrend) as part of the consolidated dispatch. With a wireless air card
this records management system would be available throughout our response area by cellular signal. This information
would help our responding firefighters know; fire protection equipment is located in the building, any special hazards
that exist, locations of childcare or disabled people could be noted and any special instructions for response to any
given address. Updates could be made in the field, requiring less paperwork time in the station

The third advantage would be that our records management system is compatible with the ALS ambulance service that
responds to XXX’s area. This will enable our fire department to share patient information so data will only need
to be gathered once. This will streamline response efforts and increase patient care quality.

Thank you for your consideration.