WINNING NARRATIVE 2009

$1,000,000.00 for a regional interoperable radio project 16 fire departments

Portable Radios - 96
Mobile Radios - 69
Base Station - 16
Training

* Please indicate which of these Target Capabilities your request outlined in this application will satisfy. Check all that apply:
Communications
* 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.
XXX County is located 100 mile south of Minneapolis/St Paul, Minnesota. XXX is the county seat for XXX County in Minnesota and is located at the crossroads of two major interstate roads, XXX (running north and south) and XXX (running east and west). We are requesting $1,000,000.00 for a regional project in the Operations and Safety Program area for communications equipment. 1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION: The objective of this proposal is to build upon the investment in the 800 MHz regional radio system developed by the State of Minnesota ($45 million), the Metropolitan Radio Board ($36 million) and XXX County ($3.2 million) to insure communications interoperability among local, regional, state and Federal first responders. The Sheriff’s Department of XXX County, which provides emergency 911 dispatching center for the entire county, is now upgrading their radio system to 800 MHz and their paging system to Narrow-band UHF. Due to this much needed upgrade, all of the radios and pagers currently being used by the 16 fire departments in the county will become obsolete. To maintain interoperability, all departments will be forced to upgrade immediately. Because of the huge financial burden this project will create, the XXX County Fire Chiefs Organization, which includes all 16 departments, unanimously supported the concept of a Regional Application to the AFG. This will allow us to join together for greater purchasing power. Also, by pursuing this project jointly we will avoid a “piecemeal” approach, which would delay interoperability among all emergency agencies in XXX County indefinitely. This project was also presented to the XXX County League of Cities Administrator’s Organization and again received unanimous support. The XXX Fire Department agreed to act as the host department on behalf of all XXX County fire departments (below), with 303 firefighters, protecting a total of 39 jurisdictions with a population of 32,584: Regional Partners: Number of Firefighters 1. XXX 17 2. XXX 15 3. XXX 25 4. XXX 25 5. XXX 12 6. XXX 25 7. XXX 21 8. XXX 20 9. XXX 25 10. XXX 20 11. XXX 18 12. XXX 20 13. XXX 19 14. XXX 15 15. XXX 18 16. XXX 18 To ensure full interoperability, based on a countywide assessment (done in 2008 by GeoComm, an outside agency), the departments will require 16 base radios, 77 mobile radios and 139 handheld portables. The cost to purchase these radios is approximately $1,418,632. However, due to AFG limitations we are requesting $1.0 million in AFG funds with a $ 114,930 match, which will provide us 16 base radios, 69 mobile radios and 96 handheld portables, which will meet 89% of our radio requirement and none of your pager requirement. 2. FINANCIAL NEED: As you can see by the large scale of this project, (both equipment and dollars) this is an overwhelming burden for each of the 16 departments. Just simple math shows that if each department were equal, the approximate cost would be $100,000 per department. Considering that the average operating budget, after personnel costs, is approximately $337,000, this constitutes nearly 30% of the departmental operational budgets. Diverting financial resources to this degree would jeopardize firefighter safety and day-to-day effectiveness. The fire departments would rather utilize the operating budget to ensure safe operations while leveraging opportunities to partner with others to address a large communication issue that is not localized to XXX County. Each local jurisdiction is, however, committed to the ongoing support and maintenance costs of the new 800 MHz radio system once it is in place, but simply can not afford to make the initial investment at this time. This grant is essential to offset the large costs related to this upgrade. Receiving funds from the AFG will address a majority of the communication upgrades needed for XXX County Fire Departments and will provide a substantial reduction in funds required, at a local level, to attain 100% implementation of our countywide fire department communications plan. Even with a successful grant application, our ability to purchase all the necessary equipment to ensure full implementation of this project will extend beyond the next year. Therefore we are bearing all administrative and indirect costs to ensure all available AFG funding will be applied directly to the purchase of radio equipment. It should also be noted that many of the departments in our county serve populations of fewer than 20,000 and would qualify for 95/5% funding. Since we are grouping all 16 departments together we have an aggregate population of approximately 32,584 and fall in the 90/10% cost share category. The XXX County Fire Chiefs, however, consider a coordinated regional application to be of sufficient value to give up the higher Federal cost share level. Although the 16 departments cover the full spectrum of classifications from urban, suburban, to rural, the majority of departments protect rural municipalities. That this application is primarily for a suburban and several large rural districts on the periphery of the county. Nevertheless, it is important to include these departments in this application in order to sustain communications coordination at the county level. Please note that each department meets each of the AFG requirements/criteria (NIMS training, NIMS resolutions approved, adoption of ICS). 3. COST BENEFIT: The AFG was established to assist fire departments in addressing day-to-day operational issues. The XXX County fire departments believe purchasing communication equipment that will address interoperability issues is a highly beneficial use of federal funds. Receiving funds from the AFG will address a majority of the communication upgrades needed for XXX County fire departments and will provide a substantial reduction in funds required to attain 100% implementation of our countywide communications plan. The true benefit of this project will be realized on a regional level. Successful funding of this joint project will ensure greater purchasing power, uniformity in equipment and a smooth and timely transition to the 800 MHz system. Without funding from this grant, each city and department would be forced to implement the change to 800 MHz as their funding would allow. Completion of this system could be indefinite. Without full implementation of the system on a coordinated timeline we could not ensure communication interoperability with local, regional, state and federal agencies, thus jeopardizing the effectiveness and safety of emergency responders and the public. This shortfall will affect our region’s ability to effectively respond to day-to-day emergencies, natural disasters, hazmat incidents, other large-scale events and potential infrastructure targets. Within XXX County there are many elements of critical infrastructure that are potential targets. In the event of a disaster, these targets would require the response of multiple agencies. These potential targets include: Several major railroad lines Major pipelines which include natural gas transmission lines and hazardous liquid transmission lines. Two Pipeline Pumping Stations Numerous substations and regional transmission lines. Two Interstate freeways (XXXX with traffic counts over 35,000 per day) two US. Highways (US XXX & US XX), several Minnesota State Highways, County roads and bridges which span waterways. The XXX Regional Airport XXX County Government Center, which includes County Law Enforcement, Dispatch, Emergency Operations Center and County Jail Multiple water treatment facilities scattered throughout the County Radio/communication towers XXXX State Park which each year 125,000 people visit National Guard Armory U.S. Post Offices 15 private schools ranging from pre-school through secondary education level, a college, Hospital, 3 clinics, a rehabilitation center, chemical/behavioral abuse center, several senior care facilities, Many churches, downtown business areas, several shopping malls and strip malls. 4 industrial parks and several light and medium industries scattered around the County. Ethanol production plant and a soy diesel production plant. In addition XXX County borders with the State of XXX. This presents additional interoperability issues regarding communication with both XXX and Minnesota State Agencies. Fire departments within XXX County have also responded with personnel and equipment to Federal Disasters, again emphasizing the need for interoperability. Therefore, this system upgrade has far reaching benefit, not only for XXX County, but also regionally, statewide and nationally. 4. STATEMENT OF EFFECT: As stated above, the key issue at hand is interoperability between agencies. One of the most common problems facing emergency responders nationwide is the inability to ensure proper communication with other responding agencies, as shown by numerous state and federal studies. Whenever an event is critiqued, communication problems are one of the first to be identified, both locally and nationally. These problems lead to the breakdown of the Incident Command System, thus jeopardizing the safety of all responders and the public. At our local level we are already experiencing interoperability issues. One of our largest primary EMS providers has already indicated that they will be switching to 800 MHz because of their direct connection with the XXX Hospital System. We will be soon unable to communicate directly with some of the area responding ambulances. In addition several fire departments within XXX County are currently responding to neighboring communities that are switching to 800 MHz or 700 MHz, thus creating communication problems. As the XXX County Sheriff and other county units are switching to 800 MHz, we will loose communication with them as well. The State of XXX has indicated that they will be switching to 700 MHz thus creating additional communications problems, being that the county has many mutual-aid agreements with communities and counties in the State of XXX. The requested equipment will solve interoperability issues that, if not corrected will seriously compromise firefighter and public safety on a local, county, regional or State scale. Funding of this proposal will have a major positive impact by directly benefiting 14 communities. 5. SUMMATION: XXX Fire Department (the host applicant) will manage the grant funds, purchase the radio equipment and coordinate the physical distribution of the equipment to other first-responder organizations that are beneficiaries of the project. This will be completed within a one-year period. XXX will monitor and provide continuing evaluation of the project. Training on the use and implementation of the new radio equipment will begin following notification of grant approval and prior to radio acquisition to assure a smooth transition. Training will be provided by the equipment vendor and by qualified members of our organizations that have been trained and involved in the development of 800 MHz systems for other agencies. There will be additional training once equipment is acquired and placed in service. All 16 XXX County Fire Departments operate under Mutual Aid Agreements within XXX County, the Minnesota HSEM Region XX, regionally State of Minnesota, and. Cross training exercises with the new equipment will occur in this environment. Budget figures provided are state contract pricing compiled by the Southeast Minnesota RAC and suggested increase to equipment to become APCO 25/Project 25 “Phase 2” compliant. The RAC oversees the entire 800 MHz system for the seven county XXX Minnesota RAC area. These prices are used by all government entities in the State of Minnesota. All of the radio equipment will bring the organizations into statutory compliance with MN State law 182.653. They will also comply with the State Radio Plan MN CHAPTER 403 911 EMERGENCY AND PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS laws. They will also meet NFPA Standard 1221 Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems and APCO 25/Project 25 “Phase 2” compliant.