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.


Project Description and Budget

On behalf of the XXX Fire Department, I would like to thank you in advance for your consideration of our
application.

The XXX Fire Department is requesting funds from the Firefighting Vehicle Acquisition Program for the purchase of
a new 3500 gallon water tender. This vehicle would comply with OSHA and Department of Transportation(DOT)
regulations and be compliant with NFPA standards.

After completing a risk assessment of our current operation, we concluded that our first priority is replacing our current
water tender. Our current tender is 29 years old. It has a non factory 3500 gallon tank which is 5 years older than the
trucks chassis. It has axles rated for a maximum of 50,000 pounds. When the truck is fully loaded this maximum is
exceeded. This extra weight on the axles has resulted in near rear suspension failure.

This truck was not made for the fire service. It was originally a milk truck that was not intended to respond to
emergency situations. It currently does not meet NFPA standard, and is not OSHA or Department of Transportation
compliant.

This vehicle is not a safe vehicle to drive. This truck has over 474,000 miles, failing suspension, and no baffles. Baffles
would be in the new tank to prevent sudden water surges. Due to these reasons and the difficult manual transmission,
there are only a few department members that feel comfortable driving this unsafe vehicle.

This truck goes to all rural fire because of the need for water, usually making multiple trips to continue our water
supply. These fires are usually on poorly maintained gravel roads. Driving to fires in this truck that is over weight, has
poor suspensions, and no baffles is almost impossible. This trucks current condition negatively affects our ability to
provide mission critical services. It is amazing that no firefighter or civilian has been injured while this truck has been on
the road.

It is our goal to purchase a new 3500 gallon water tender with a 500 gallon per minute pump. This truck would be
compliant with all OSHA, NFPA, and DOT standards and requirements. This truck would increase the safety of the
firefighters driving the truck and the general public who may be on the roads at the same time.

All firefighters would be trained on how to operate this new truck safety. Our department is in the process of implementing
emergency vehicle operating classes (EVOC) which must be attended by all firefighting personal. This training would be compliant with
NFPA standards, DOT regulations, and consistent with national EVOC curriculum.

Total Project Cost: $179,372
Required 5% Match: $8,968
Federal Share: $170,404


Financial Need

The city of XXX is located approximately XX miles XX of the Minneapolis - St. Paul on State Highway XXX. We
are a small growing town with a population of approximately 10,000. Our operating budget will not allow for a project of
this size. We do have several fund raisers each year, however the money generated is usually needed to pay for
existing expenses such as equipment, training, and fire prevention. The amount of money that could be put away for a
new truck is very small. By the time enough money can be raised, the cost of the truck will have doubled. A project of
this size can not be supported by our local department alone because the money is just not there.

Below you will find a summary of the fire departments budget along with the City of XXX most recently approved
budget.

XXX Fire Department
$87,893 Medical Expenses
$50,872 Wages
$46,200 Services and Charges
$23,300 Capital Outlay
$11,500 Repair and Maintenance
$7,475 Office Supplies and Materials
Total Budget - $227,240


City of XXX
$5,500,000 General Fund
$2,600,000- Water Utilities
$3,800,000 Wastewater
$700,000 Environmental Services
$9,900,000 Electric Utilities
$100,000 Telecommunication Conduit
$700,000 Storm water
$100,000 Heartland Transit
$1,000,000 Long Term Care Facility
$300,000 Library
$300,000 Community Center
Total City of XXX Budget - $25,000,000

As you can see we do not have the ability to save money for a project this large. The Fire Department only receives
.9% of the City of XXX’s budget. The City is very supportive of our department; however as you can see from the
above budget we do not receive anywhere close to the amount of money needed to support the purchase of this new
vehicle.

These figures show the financial hurtles that our department must overcome in order for us to reach our goal. We ask
that you please help us with our goal and agree to fund our application.


Cost Benefit

Our protection area is 86 square miles. Only 7 % of this area is protected by fire hydrants. A new safer water tender
means that 93% of our immediate fire protection area will be safer due to faster fire suppression. This faster
suppression is possible due to an ample supply of water arriving on scene in a timely manner. Having such a large
percentage of our protection area without hydrants makes water tenders a necessity in fire fighting.

This truck will also benefit more departments than just XXX. We currently have mutual aid agreements with all our
neighboring departments. These mutual aid agreements promote interoperability with our neighboring departments.
Having these agreements potentially triples our response areas.

This truck is a basic response need. It is normal for our department to be called multiple times each year to assist
neighboring departments to fight fires outside our area. When this happens, the first item departments ask for is water,
which means the water tender is the first truck to leave the station.

If this project is funded, we would be removing our current unsafe tender from our fleet of fire vehicles. By removing
this vehicle from our fleet, the roads will become much safer for our firefighters and the public.


Statement of Effect

Once again, the XXX Fire Department is asking for your help with the purchase of a new water tender, which will
replace our old malfunctioning, noncompliant vehicle. This goal was a result of our risk assessment and is consistent
with program priorities.

Being able to replace this old truck will keep firefighters safe, knowing there will be water arriving at the scene when no
hydrants are available. This new truck would allow us to better protect the citizens of our protection area, as well as
our mutual aid areas, by rapidly and safely transporting water to the scene.

It is our mission to continue to protect life and property, safely and professionally, now and into the future. This grant
would help make this mission possible.

Thank you for your consideration our application.
XXX Fire Department