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 XXXX Fire Department is located in central Minnesota, XX miles north of Minneapolis/St. Paul. We have the
required 5% match and we also have an additional $23,000 to add to the project.


Project Description and Budget: Tanker
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The XXXX Fire Department serves 16 townships and 6 cities. Our coverage area is one of the largest in the State
covering 460 square miles. We maintain Mutual Aid Agreements with seven surrounding fire departments along with
assisting the DNR in wildland fires.

In the past three years, 27% of our calls have been wildland fires assisting the DNR. Our area has developed from
small towns and farms to include large agricultural operations and an increase in lake properties. We have 29
firefighters serving on our department with an average of eight years of experience.

Through our risk assessment of our service area and equipment, plus a survey of our firefighters, we concluded that we
need to replace our outdated 35 year old tanker to better serve our people and changing community. Currently, we
have a 1973 manual 2 speed transmission tanker with the capacity of 1600 gallons.

This tanker is undersized for our needs. To keep up with water demand, we make frequent trips back to our
department. These frequent trips increase safety concerns for our firefighters and the public. We are limited in the
number of department members that feel comfortable driving this outdated manual transmission tanker. This 1973
tanker is not in compliance with OSHA, NFPA or MNDOT regulations.

We are proposing to replace this tanker with a 300 HP diesel engine 2000 gallon automatic transmission tanker. With
this additional water capacity, we can increase the water on the scene for first attack and cut down on the frequency of
trips. Cutting down on trips, means fewer hazards to our firefighters and the public out on the roads.

It allows more firefighters to remain on the scene fighting the fire. An automatic transmission makes this vehicle 100%
drivable by all that serve our department. We can better serve our mutual aid communities and the DNR that depend on
us for water.

The overall cost of this new tanker will be $142,500.In addition to the tanker,we are seeking funding for a NFPA
complaint instructor to lead a driving course for our entire department. This will be at a cost of $5,000.00. This brings
the total cost of the project to $147,500 The City and Townships will contribute an extra 22,125.00 of the total project.

BUDGET:
Cost of Tanker: - $142,500
300 HP diesel engine 2000 gallon automatic transmission
Driver Course: - $ 5,000
Total Project Cost: $147,500

Extra match: $ 23,000

Application Request: $124,500
Required 5% Match: $6,225
Federal Share: $118,275


Financial Need:
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Our state and local government is once again facing budget cuts.

Our rural economy has not been strong and cannot support a project this large.

Also in Minnesota, fire departments are not allowed to engage in fundraising.

While the city of XXXX does have a vehicle fund, they will not be able to fund a new vehicle for 10 years.
We cannot rely on this 1973 tanker for the next ten years.

The budget for the City of XXXX is $489,335. Of this the City of XXXX allocate's $82,361 to the Fire Departments
budget.

Below is a summary of the Fire Department budget.
$28,019 Personnel Cost (wages, workers compensation)
$ 9,292 Utility Costs (heating, water, sewer, electric)
$ 9,350 Insurance Cost (Building)
$ 5,800 PPE
$ 3,800 Uniforms
$ 5,700 Communication & Transportation Costs
$ 5,800 Training (Firefighter 1)
$ 4,400 Wellness and Fitness
$ 3,000 Vehicle maintenance & Repair
$ 300 Advertising & Miscellaneous
$ 2,000 Professional Services
$ 2,825 Operating Supplies (fuels, lubricants, tools, etc.
$ 1,250 Other Equipment
$ 825 Memberships and Dues
$82,361`Total Budget

At this rate we it will be many years before we will have enough money to replace a tanker costing $142,500.

We need FEMA’S help if we are to replace this unsafe vehicle.


Cost/Benefit:
-----------------
We have the required 5% match and we also have an additional $23,000 to add to the project.

This vehicle will be the primary water carrier to roll on every call. It will be used on 100% of calls with all members able
to drive, which will allow us to have more water on the scene immediately and continuously. It will cut down on trips
from the fire scene to the fire department.

Only 1% of our coverage area is covered by fire hydrants leaving over 99% relying on tanker shuttle. Some of our calls
are up to 25 miles away from our primary water source. Frequent trips are an inefficient use of time and personnel.
Continual use of this depleted and unsafe tanker is a safety risk to our department and community.

A new tanker will provide for the safety of our firefighters to and from the scene, civilian drivers on the road, and our
firefighters on the scene waiting for water. It will allow us to better do our job: preserving life and property.

Not only does this benefit our primary coverage area, but our department has Mutual Aid Responding Agreements with
seven other rural fire departments. We also provide assistance to the Department of Natural Resources and in the last
three years, 27% of our calls were wildland fires or DNR assists.

This new tanker will promote interoperability with these communities and allow the XXXX Fire Department to respond to
all hazards with the ability to protect the health and safety of the public.

Another large factor is that we are centrally located among 7 other Fire Departments which expands our coverage area
from 460 square miles to well over 1000 square miles. With the majority of this area being farms and farmland and with
limited water supplies, good reliable tankers are critical pieces of equipment.

Without the addition of this new tanker, our firefighters and surrounding communities will continue to be at risk. Our
limited water capacity will continue to put the health and safety of our firefighters and people we protect in jeopardy.
Both these concerns (limited water capacity and the dangerous vehicle) prevent us from serving our area along with
assisting surrounding departments.

Receiving this grant will allow us the opportunity to replace a 35 year old depleted and unsafe tanker with a safe
complaint and reliable tanker.

This new tanker gives us a more reliable water supply for self-protection and fire suppression.

This vehicle will be used for every fire call along with mutual aid calls and DNR assists.

We will be able to assess the improvements in our response by comparing our fire response records from previous
years.

We can compare our time on scene, frequency of trips, and mutual aid contributions.


Statement of Effect:
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The XXXX Fire Department is seeking AFGP funding to help us get our department in compliance with OSHA and NFPA
properly and with up-to-date modern equipment so our volunteers are safe in all the hazards and situations we respond
to when assisting our citizens in our daily operations.

This award will have the most positive affect on our daily operations and the safety of your firefighters and also fill the
gap that the department currently has.

This award will also have significant impact on our ability to function safely in hostile IDLH environments as we affect
search and rescue operations on a day to day basis.

The replacement of a 35 year old depleted and unsafe tanker with a safe complaint and reliable tanker will have a huge
impact on our department's ability to protect lives and property in your community.

Our department is very dedicated to protecting lives and property, serving our people and we are the type of
department that the FIRE Act is supposed to help.

The new compliant equipment will help us meet the growing demands on our department. These demands on our
department are increasingly disproportionate to our tax revenues and the resources we possess in a small department.
We will be tracking the impact of this grant over the next five (5) years as we measure it's positive impact on our
community.

We appreciate your support and would like to express our appreciation for the opportunities this grant program would
provide to our department.

Thank you
XXXX Firefighters