So lets talk FEMA Grants

[ffpm43]

Just curious who is asking for what, we were successful last year, hoping again. Good Luck!

[80FIRE]

We received money for PPE and SCBA's in 2001.($20,000) I applied last year for compressor and cascade system. We managed to stay in contention until the end of Dec before receiving our Dear John letter. We applied for comp and cascade again this year along with a computer based training program and a computer for the firehouse. Hope we get it I would love to get all the fire dept info off of my computer at home.
Hopefully this will be a good year for everyone in IL.

[jboczek]

Third try, no money yet. 1st 2 years, asked for engine. Gave up on that and asked for SCBA, spare bottles, computer & projector this year - about $110,000.

80, you'll never get everything off your home computer. We've got one at the station office and mine at my business and at home have almost as much FD stuff on them as they do personal. Of course, the station's is 10 miles from me so that might be the difference.

[pcfdcap1]

We got $28,000 for SCBAs, radios, computer, and wellness exams last year. We are going for more SCBAs, compressor/cascade, portable pump and nozzles this year.

[ChiefReason]

This will be the third year we apply. We are looking for our FIRST win! We have applied for a rescue vehicle again. Our need hasn't changed in three years. If we fail again this year; well, then one of my first official acts as trustee will be to try and find an alternative funding source for what I consider to be a very important piece of equipment.
We don't need a new fire truck. We would take one if offered. We don't need SCBA or turnouts or cameras. We would take some if offered.
We desperately need a vehicle that will carry equipment and manpower safely to EVERY scene.
Who brought this subject up? I gotta stop now. I'm getting that twitch in my right eye.;)
CR

[trainer]

CR,sounded great,some of that should have been in our app.

[ChiefReason]

trainer wrote:
CR,sounded great,some of that should have been in our app.
Someone needs to go back and read the narrative again!:p
As has been said before in all of the discussions on the FIRE Act grant; it's numbers, numbers, numbers. If the application side of the process doesn't cut muster, then the narrative will never get read.
If what I am reading is accurate, it sounds like alot of departments are going after money in the "Firefigting Operations and Firefighter Safety" category because it seemed to be the most liberal category last year. It's funny; everyone went after trucks in the first year. When they didn't get it, they went after small stuff, because people who went after small stuff and got it told everyone how easy it was. So last year, half the grants went after small stuff and after looking at some of the recipients, I am inclined to believe that you had to stumble badly not to get awarded in this category. And that is by no means a slam on the ones who got money.
But silly me; I don't believe that everyone on the department needs their very own SCBA. I don't believe that we need to replace turnouts bought three years ago. They can buy a bicycle if they want to exercise. And I also figured if "Working Fires" videos won't keep their attention, then buying PowerPoint equipment would be a real waste of money. Our fire prevention program, as limited as it is, is effective, based on the number of fires that we have had. I am sure FEMA/USFA would agree.
See; I've talked myself into the need for that rescue van once again. It all comes down to the fact that we NEED that van.
Thanks, trainer; now I'll be pissed all day!;)
CR:cool:

[trainer]

CR, did you see the blurp on every one getting WMD gear in the state ? Now i know Gib was not happy about what they were going to get, and i don't think we need escape suits, or anything else WMD related ,but it might be our chance to add somthing to that speical opps trailer.Who do we need to contact to push for what we need ? Sorry about the grant thing , you know you don't need to yell at me, i know what we need. Big, lots of storage, 4 wheel drive,walk through body ,freightliner or IH, brush truck , right. :D

[jaybird210]

What's FEMA?


(**ducks!!)

[ChiefReason]

trainer wrote: CR, did you see the blurp on every one getting WMD gear in the state ? Now i know Gib was not happy about what they were going to get, and i don't think we need escape suits, or anything else WMD related ,but it might be our chance to add somthing to that speical opps trailer.Who do we need to contact to push for what we need ?
Yeah; I've been reading alot about WMD grants. They are coming through IEMA. Or maybe it is our state department of homeland security. Cratty would know who to contact. I'm sure he has already done it or is in the process. Check with him.
Jaybird wrote: What's FEMA?
(**ducks!!)
I think-and I have money riding on this-that it is now an agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
That's stuff you won't learn in Officer's school!;)
CR

[jboczek]

Speaking of the homeland security money, is the state really going to give every one of its 80,000 1st responders a respirator? I got a letter from the state asking how many we need. Seems like a real waste of money for us. I don't know what they're thinking. Guess we can practice with them in the office where we aren't allowed to fart.

[jboczek]

CR, you're probably right about not every FF needing their own SCBA. We asked for 25, partly because FEMA says they want to equip every FF with one, and mostly because we have 3 pumpers & 2 service trucks in our 2 stations. 4 on each engine, 6 on each truck and 1 extra just for kicks, this according to what ISO wants on each rig. Depending on where in our district the fire is, we could have 15 SCBA in 3 trucks responding, and if we're lucky we'll have 15 FFs on the fireground so it makes sense. Hope I mentioned all this in the narrative. I did.

[trainer]

Jack, It's my understanding these are emergency escape units. one time use only. they might be okay for police, with proper training, but i doubt that. For FF its stupid. Give us somthing we can use, 60 mim SCBA's ,level a,b. or c's. Don't waste this money, ask us what we need. Not all dept,s are set up for this.CR, didn't they put Hawkenson in charge of Illinois home land security? We need to tell someone this is just stupid !!!

[jboczek]

Trainer, here's what we're getting: "a mask/respirator, a particulate cartridge for gases and an NBC (nuclear-chemical-biolgical) cartridge plus a carrier." Doesn't sound like they're one time use only. Also if the guys wear glasses, we get monocles for them. The letter did come from Carl Hawkinson, Deputy Chief of Staff, Public Safety's office and signed by Mike Chamness.

[ChiefReason]

I'm thinking that someone knows someone who sells respirators.
Jack; if the cartridge is exposed to a biological agent, the cartridges would have to be replaced. Technically, they are one-time use cartridges. Depending on the exposure, the mask might be one-time use also. Maybe they could be re-conned. Who knows. They would be a good thing for police/EMS people, but I agree with trainer. Put some of that money into the equipment the fire service is going to need to respond. We already have respirators(SCBAs). Why re-invent the wheel? And I might add, since there is a thread going on respirators that the firefighters would have to be fit tested for these types of respirators as well.
Carl H. is head of the agency. Chamness is the director.
I'm am sure that someone has already voiced displeasure. I think we are looking at placebo here.
Just my opinion.
CR

[trainer]

Just come from HS web page,they want to get every agency in the state one,88,000 for $20,000,000. hers the money breakdown that they have,13.2 mil for equipment, of that,7.7 mil is for escape masks, leaving 5.5 mil for level a teams.rest is suppose to come from the Fed. Surveys are out, how many wont respond?, how many will that don't need them? we here in Henry co. formed an inter agency response team over a year ago. Being from down state how much do you think we will get? These masks are just plain STUPID!!! CR ,you got to do somthing,write somebody, my e-mail is still screwed. I got to go take a nap my BP is way up.

[jboczek]

CR, I know that the cartridges are one time use but I'd think the rest of it should work again. I agree that we will never use thema and they'll sit around with the geiger counter we got from ESDA a few years ago. The letter says we get training, too, so maybe IEMA will do the fit test to go along with them. What a waste.

P.S. Don't forget my respirator policy. Please.

[ChiefReason]

Jack:
Here comes your RPP. Contact me if you have any questions.
CR

[lilyogi]

This year is our Third year of applying for the grant. We were successful last year, we got like $76,000 for SCBA and cascade. We are stll using the OLD scotts! It will be nice to get our new ones. We put in for a new Brush Truck this year. We had heard that this year they are going to give out more for Apparatus. I guess we will see. Good luck to all.
PS, anyone know about any free training for HAZ MAT? Our dept. needs training!! Our closest haz mat team is 30 min away, we have a major interstate and railway going through our district. Let me know thanks Darin
dkeith@mchsi.com

[raginginferno21]

The best way to get free hazmat training is to contact ,the Department of Defense they give frre WMD training as well.Also try IFSI thier course's are real cheap .

[pcfdcap1]

Don't forget to check with IEMA too. Contact your county ESDA coordinator he can steer you in the right direction in contacting IEMA for training

[pcfdcap1]

Hey guys, I know it's stupid for firefighters to have these instead of the real stuff. This idea came partly from the 3 year WMD grant(the one each county in the state was supposed to submit in Aug 2001)IEMA had to then apply as a state to get the funding. there were several counties that did not apply and several applied late. Illinois was the most represented of any state that applied at the federal level. The original grant application came from the DOJ(departmant of justice)It was actually their goal that every responder(including fire, police, EMS, public health-including health nurses and ER staffs, and public works-including water/sewer,highway workers,township officials- in the country be supplied with one of these. The Illinois terrerorism task force adopted this at the ITTF summit in May 2002.
If nothing else, you can't say you didn't get anything free from the feds. There WILL be training included for the use of these things.
If nothing else, keep yours in your personal vehicle. Then after a night of too many Guinness'(or Milwaukees Best) you can still breath:eek: :D :o :p

[codeblue81]

We Got a grant in 2001 for 16 Airpacks and a Cascade. Was turned down the 180,000 for a new REscue Pumper last year.

We were told at an informational seminar to go for Fire Ops, so we'ver requested enough for 35 sets of turnouts, helmets, 20 Airpacks and another new cascade.