WTF Round 6

[CusterFireman]

Round 6 already been posted.

What a waste of a round and a week of long waiting.

I'm sorry but you could fund a ton of fire departments with 2 million dollars for grants compared to funding 2 applications 1 million dollars each for equipment

Bryan County Fire Department Pembroke GA Operations and Safety $1,000,000.00 Equipment ($1,109,204) 08/31/07
Walton County Fire Rescue DeFuniak Springs FL Operations and Safety $1,000,000.00 Equipment ($1,223,015) 08/31/07


Sorry but I just think that is absurd and plain stupid.

Sorry to say we have fire departments in this country still running out of trucks that are no where close to NFPA compliant and they are down right unsafe and they ask for $70-$100,000 for a new fire truck or the same with turn out gear that is not even safe to wear to a fire anymore but they use that equipment because its the best they can do and get denied but these fire departments probably with budgets out of this world apply for a million dollar grant and get approved.

Sorry I'm ranting but I think that grants totalling this amount is absurd and is unfair to other fire departments that just need a newer truck.

[Lieutenant387]

Agree here also... Definate waste. BTW whats up with Alabama anyway. They have over 7mil, KY and TN have @ 2.5 each... Reading on some of the departments sites seeing their equipment before this years grant and the Feds say there is no POLITICS in the AFG.... give us ALL a break. Alabama to date has more AFG money in 2007 then New York, New Jersey and California - COMBINED !!!! Thought the AFG guys were putting the money in the more heavily populated areas. Please gentlemen, explain how once again your spots have changed color...

[DianeC]

Oh, this should be fun. :rolleyes:

[CusterFireman]

Oh, this should be fun. :rolleyes:

Would that mean you agree with this non sense AFG is doing with these million dollar grants.

[k3twpfire]

Before every goes off half cocked... could these be regional grants with the money going to many departments?

[firechief47]

I'm familiar with that area. An hour or so West of me. The award actually went to Walton County Fire/Rescue, not DeFuniak Springs FD, which is independent of the county. WCFR, i believe, is in the transition stages of going from an EMS service to Fire & EMS. I haven't talked to anyone over there, yet. I do know that there are some departments over in that area that operate on little or no annual budgets, though. It's a big award, I agree, but not all of Florida is rolling in the dough.

[bigdogdaddy3]

Agree here also... Definate waste. BTW whats up with Alabama anyway. They have over 7mil, KY and TN have @ 2.5 each... Reading on some of the departments sites seeing their equipment before this years grant and the Feds say there is no POLITICS in the AFG.... give us ALL a break. Alabama to date has more AFG money in 2007 then New York, New Jersey and California - COMBINED !!!! Thought the AFG guys were putting the money in the more heavily populated areas. Please gentlemen, explain how once again your spots have changed color...

YES; its seems POLITICS is live and well in AFG. Know of a Department that was awarded 1/2 million (two weeks ago) and lied on their application. The powers that be a AFG don't even care. Their response - "they didn't lie it was just exaggerated.

How do you exaggerate building heights, distance of other departments and the type of apparatus in close proximity?

[ncvfc17]

I guess many vacations this week! I cannot believe it was only two departments.

[Nick SBFD 6]

Are we starting to see the effects of scoring and awarding grants using a Risk based formula instead of the Needs based formulas of years past?

-Nick

[DianeC]

Would that mean you agree with this non sense AFG is doing with these million dollar grants.

Nope. As someone noted, it's probably regional, let's see if someone can dig out the facts. :rolleyes:

To the person with 6 posts who feels a dept. cheated -- how high up the food chain have you gone or do just have an axe to grind? Did you go higher then the AFG folks? Like the DoJ? Or maybe someone in a Congressional office? Just rattling off ideas...

Is the program perfect? No. Show me one that is.

Is the fire service better with it? Yes. All things considered, it was signed into law before the events of 9/11/2001, so that shows that it was needed before, and Congress saw that.

Will some people feel left out? Of course. We're all human. :D

[BC79er]

Both are county departments, so they are covering larger areas and populations (ie larger needs) than most of us would even think of. So even though it may be one department, it is sort of a regional app in both cases from what I can tell and know about the departments. Didn't work with them, so not defending them because of that. But I did work on many similar apps with high $$ requests, some working on being funded, so awards like this will happen. I think the quantity is a product of it being a holiday weekend. My boss has me working to finish some SAFER apps, the jerk....

[bigdogdaddy3]

Nope. As someone noted, it's probably regional, let's see if someone can dig out the facts. :rolleyes:

To the person with 6 posts who feels a dept. cheated -- how high up the food chain have you gone or do just have an axe to grind? Did you go higher then the AFG folks? Like the DoJ? Or maybe someone in a Congressional office? Just rattling off ideas...

Is the program perfect? No. Show me one that is.

Is the fire service better with it? Yes. All things considered, it was signed into law before the events of 9/11/2001, so that shows that it was needed before, and Congress saw that.

Will some people feel left out? Of course. We're all human. :D

To the Director -

[neiowa]

To the Director -


If you have actual evidence, contact DOJ or the FBI. Or call your local dem congresscritter. They like nothing better than one more avenue with which to snipe at President Bush.

Wait until after I see our vehicle award announcement.

[Lieutenant387]

There was a US Senator on FH.com last year in an article touting that this is the "one" program politics "has not" played a part in. I sent him an email explaining how he was SOOOOO wrong and I gave him enough info that if he was a legit legislator he would have contacted me to get "MORE" of the specifics. Needless to say, HE didn't. I had the proof and the names of how it played out.

[Firediver]

Come on people. ANYTHING that is done through the government gets political. If you don't think so, then you need to quit being naive and open the ol' eyelids:eek: . Only 2 dept.'s this week? This reeks of politics.

[BC79er]

This isn't the first time they've done a release like this, it is after all a holiday weekend. I doubt anyone is really working up there, the award announcements hitting the web site are always automated.

[imafireman]

At least we are further along this year than what we were last!!! I recall several weeks last year where no awards were announced.

I really struggled with the fact that some departments were still playing games with their call volumes and mutual aid stats. I for one am so glad that we went through the application and answered the questions as honestly as we could without manipulating the wording. I do know of departments that were still trying to use mutual aid calls as their first due just because they are on a dual dispatch. We are one of the departments with a dual award this year. This our first since 2002. We did receive a letter of reccommendation from our congressman. Everyone has the right to do so. Why wouldn't any department do so? I do not know if that had any impact on the grants, but I do know that Kurt Bradley completely ripped my narrative apart last year because I did not follow the guidance DHS supplied to us. The difference for us between this year and last year is that I did attend a grant writing seminar with Kurt Bradley as the speaker and followed the guidance he has offered me, even though I did not like the fact that he made me throw away the first narrative I wrote this year. My lesson learned is that there are those in these forums that have what it takes to write a successful narrative and choosing of the proper project. I have a master's degree, but it is not in grant writing. I am just a high school teacher. And I do use our English Department to proof read any narratives that I write.

[ERIV70]

I do know about the Walton County Fire Rescue grant it is a regional radio system that supports six fire departments operating out of 19 stations. I was also disappinted that there was only 2 grants in this round

[coldfront]

When the powers to be attempted to cut this program in the pass the rural fire service across this nation fought to KEEP the AFG program alive and well.Most small rural FD keep the doors open if fish fry's and bingo.This grant was designed as a basic fire fighting grant.I have address my last ******* letter to congress in support of this out of control program!The program has change the fire service for the better in many rurals areas new trucks and equipment purchased have been the infusion the rural fire service needed. When you see one million dropped in one county for communtications while others get look over year after year its bull****!~

Damn I feel better.By the way if you could not tell my department got a dear john letter this year!

[BC79er]

Communication is one of the basic tools of the fire service. Kinda hard to call mayday, 2nd alarms, or handle any incident without it. Probably around 60k people in Walton County now, based on census.gov numbers. They're a panhandle city, probably run over a few times by hurricanes. While I'm a big fan of PPE and SCBA for everyone, once you step outside your own sandbox you have to admit that some projects are very needed, and very expensive.

You can't look at just an award and a couple of stats to determine need or worth, and if you are that's fine. Just remember the computer doesn't. The computer crunches ALL statistics based on fire service input as to their relative weight to each other, so 1 or 2 stats doesn't give the proper picture. So a $1mil comm grant that covers $60k people over a $100k SCBA that covers 2k, obviously the C-B goes to the comm grant. 30x more people, only 10x most cost. Even if SCBA is rated higher, comm can still outscore it. It's not a perfect system, but this us vs them attitude won't help, especially since it's the us that designed the program, not the them. Fire service designed for fire service consumption.

[WJVaughn]

Ok, lets' go for this one,
Will the Billion dollar commo grant and the legislation to fund an annual commo grant take the communications out of nexts year requestable AFG items?

[BC79er]

Shouldn't. Can't buy radios with that one, just infrastructure so the new systems will exist but no one will be able to talk on them. Minor detail.

[WJVaughn]

Brian is getting a little burned out me thinks... LOL

[kprsn1]

Did anyone happen to notice that Elgin Airforce Base lies partially within Walton County Florida and that Fort Stewart lies within Bryan County Georgia? I know protecting federal property is a points getter.

[BC79er]

Tired yes, burned out no. Waiting on the last $$ figures for the last SAFER app so I can submit it and then get on with moving furniture this fine, hot, Texas holiday weekend. And replacing entry doors, wiring some ceiling fans... :rolleyes:

[WJVaughn]

Hey Brian where is Katy in relation to say Austin? I am going to be in Rockdale in 3 weeks to teach a class. Just curious.

[BC79er]

West Houston, we border the city limits. Austin is about 2 hours west/northwest. Give a shout if you get down this way.

[WJVaughn]

Figures, I was in Houston for a week in July for a training conference

[BC79er]

Don't feel bad, I wasn't. Was up in the Philly area for 3 weeks for family vaca and FH Expo.

Oh and in case anyone missed the Firehouse.com Blast email, they did stories on both of today's announcements, both comm grants as we knew already.

[ktb9780]

Shouldn't. Can't buy radios with that one, just infrastructure so the new systems will exist but no one will be able to talk on them. Minor detail.

Brian your right on the billion commo for this year but what WJ is referring to is the one congress just funded till 2012 at about 550 mill a year and it is SUPPOSED to fund radios as well. I still do not think it will take them out of AFG ,they might not allow it if you have recived money from this big one but I don't think they will disappear all togther.;)

[batt403]

Wow, this thread has made me look out the window to see who's knocking at the door;) If folks are getting upset/mad because a "county" department received a million dollar grant then I know people would hate the low budgeted, rural, volunteer, etc., etc., departments for getting half a million over the years.........

Oh, and I know they did not have any political help.:eek:

[SLY4420]

Lots of whining in here.

Last year, one of our neighboring County's stations applied for a regional $1,000,000 communications grant and was awarded. The grant covers a County made up of 5,293 farms which make up about 1/2 of the entire County's acreage. It's a rural area with some very needy departments, and there is also a City with a population of about 60,000 with a fully paid fire department. The demographics certainly change and there's no reason they shouldn't be awarded.

After all, their grant funded 81 volunteer fire companies with an average award of $12,345 to each station. That's an example of ALOT of fire companies getting help. It's not much either.

[volfireman034]

Well we all know things like this would happen when FEMA got swallowed by the money hungry Dept of Homeland Sec. I'm not just refering to the big award but most of the problems in the AFG since DHS has been trying to steal the money for it self

[firefighter7160]

I dont see what the big deal is.... Departments all over the US have been getting million dollar grants for years, just not in the Fire Act Grant. Now they are giving these million dollar grants here. My department got 2 million dollars 2 years ago from the feds, the county as a hole got close to 10 million. All of the money went to upgrade the radio system. This was from another grant but im sure we could have got it from the AFA Grant. After it was all said and done every fire dept, police dept, ambulance, public works where all on digital radio and had the ability to talk to each other.

This is also part of the Arkansas Wireless Info Network. In 5 years all counties in Arkansas will be using the digital radio system.

[jhl81791123]

How about you Dear John Departments emailing these 2 departments and getting a copy of their narratives. Perhaps you can get funded next year, using their projects as examples. That's what I did for 07AFG. BTW, we haven't got any email updates for our 07 AFG and we were nil for 06.

That is all.

[sfd2605]

_____________

[mclfrm3]

3 pumpers, one 10 yrs old, two 30 yrs old (limping by), covering 12 towns, villages, townships encompassing 400 sq. miles of rural land and no tanker or budget to even acquire one = I should have majored in college literature. Amen sfd2605

[mclfrm3]

3 pumpers, one 10 yrs old, two 30 yrs old (limping by), covering 12 towns, villages, townships encompassing 400 sq. miles of rural land and no tanker or budget to even acquire one = I should have majored in college literature. Amen sfd2605

[SLY4420]

I did have hope that we would be able to replace our airpacks.

And you still may be able to. Remember, it's still rather early. You've apparently made it past the computer scoring which is the most critical part of being funded -- if no one even reads your application, there's no chance at all.

So far people are "discouraged" by a round that awarded $2M -- yet there was no mention when Round 5 awarded over $10M?

I forsee (my guess) 4,680ish awards. We're like 1/4 way there. Still alot of time (and money!!!).

[islandfire03]

My question is in how they distribute the money. If you look at the state listings there are some with goose- eggs and then there are those with 6 - 9 million in awards. i know they say politics has nothing to do with the process but I find it hard to believe.

We would all love to get those 1/2 million $ grants for shiny new trucks , BUT how about making twice as many 250 K grants to the small rural depts. that are operating on a budget smaller than the professional grant writers salary. Not picking on you kurt or Brian!
I look at the "mega grant " to Springfield Mass. to buy a new tower. Maybe if they didn't use their existing tower to run car crashes and medical assist calls the truck they have now would last for another ten years instead of being ready for replacement at a young age. The price of a tower is equal to ten years or more of many departments entire budgets.

[ktb9780]

I can't help but notice that there is still a vast gap in people's understanding of the grant program and what it takes to get funded. Comparisons of your department, to that department, or million dollar budgets to $10k budgets ,is futile. Folks, sure it is hard to accept "no" or get that dreaded DJ and our instant reaction is to balme the grant program or belittle a department that was successful; what point is there to that? Every year bc79er, other successful departments and myself see the same complaints from those of you who have not attained success for whatever may be a myriad of reasons.The simple fact remains that 4800 departments will be succesful this year. That is nothing to scoff at folks. If oyu are not being successful; find out why you are not being successful and fix the problem if you can. Ask questions, seek answers, look at what the department that was successful did, to gain that award; be objective and get focused. Those that do, usually ( and notice I did not say always) find themselves successful with a little work. Many of us in here devote ourselves to trying to assure that you can be successful, we will continue to do so for those of you that seek out that knowledge and level of understanding.;)

[ktb9780]

BUT how about making twice as many 250 K grants to the small rural depts..


I say that every week that I look at the FLA Lotto winner and wonder how many $100k awards could have been made with one $53 million winner!:D

[firechief47]

Kurt or Brian,
I'm trying to understand how the grants are scored, in the grand scheme of things. Are they scored on a merit basis or are they in essence scored against each other? I'm thinking that there's no reason to "blame" awarded departments for costing smaller departments awards.

[ktb9780]

Kurt or Brian,
I'm trying to understand how the grants are scored, in the grand scheme of things. Are they scored on a merit basis or are they in essence scored against each other? I'm thinking that there's no reason to "blame" awarded departments for costing smaller departments awards.


Actually it is both. By law, a certain percentage of money goes to rural,suburban, urban and volly, career etc. Each app is scored based on its own individual merits though.;)

[BC79er]

To expand on what Kurt said all of the apps are scored against the metrics of the program, and only if the % requirements aren't met is when they award some departments out of order.

Back to moving furniture....

[imafireman]

To expand on what Kurt said all of the apps are scored against the metrics of the program, and only if the % requirements aren't met is when they award some departments out of order.

Back to moving furniture....

Hey Brian, you can get the moving finished faster if you quit running in and typing things on your computer. Unplug the crazy thing!! I think there is a thread for the addicts!! Lift with your legs, not your back.

[BC79er]

Can't unplug, it's how the bills get paid. :) Mainly unplugged though, no internet access at the new casa, back at mom's now to pick up stuff and check in. And work on other grant apps, got a bunch to complete and send out. FPS is coming up, plus a handful of non-profit work. I wanted grants to be full-time, so that's what I get. Beats digging ditches in the 110 degree heat index. ;)

[fireman8611]

I can't help but notice that there is still a vast gap in people's understanding of the grant program and what it takes to get funded. Comparisons of your department, to that department, or million dollar budgets to $10k budgets ,is futile. Folks, sure it is hard to accept "no" or get that dreaded DJ and our instant reaction is to balme the grant program or belittle a department that was successful; what point is there to that? Every year bc79er, other successful departments and myself see the same complaints from those of you who have not attained success for whatever may be a myriad of reasons.The simple fact remains that 4800 departments will be succesful this year. That is nothing to scoff at folks. If oyu are not being successful; find out why you are not being successful and fix the problem if you can. Ask questions, seek answers, look at what the department that was successful did, to gain that award; be objective and get focused. Those that do, usually ( and notice I did not say always) find themselves successful with a little work. Many of us in here devote ourselves to trying to assure that you can be successful, we will continue to do so for those of you that seek out that knowledge and level of understanding.;)

We are 0-3 in the AFG. Haven't even made it to peer reviews. My first try was hurried, second I took a little more time and thougth I did a good job, and third time I got some help from Kurt, worked on it for about six months and still got DJ. This is why I am having Kurt come to Montgomery IN to get me educated on what I am doing wrong. I am a believer that these seminars are worth the time and money to attend. Ain't that right greenacres2???????? greenacres2 has been to a couple of Kurts seminars and hosted him last year and his department is reeping the rewards by thousands of dollars. PRICELESS!!!!

[WJVaughn]

Let's all just get Kurt, Brian, Ima, and Green do all of our request next year. That way we only have to gripe at them when we do not get rewarded...


Just kidding guys. ( ducks as shotguns are loaded around me..)

[Limeforever]

The grants for a $1mil, won't touch most communications projects. The P standards on the radios have blown the prices through the roof. I agree with the thought that you could help a lot more departments by spreading the money to more departments, but you have too look at it from outside the box. There are 13 departments here in our county all but one are volunteer, the other is a combination department. of the other 12, I would wager that 10 of those have budgets under $25,000 with three that I know have budgets under $10,000. There are 7 new trucks and 12 equipment grants that have come from AFG to these departments. Take the AFG as a blessing just think back a few years and you will see what the grant world had for the fire service. There are flaws with all programs, and there will probably never be a perfect program (If AFG was, it would be funded to match all of our request), but take it for what it is and be happy that we at least have the opportunity to try for the funding. I was at Earl's place for Kurt this spring, and had attended a previous seminar that Chief supply hosted, and am a believer that the class has made a great impact on my ability to write the grant in the correct format and to see some of the little points that have luckily got my grants to the peer review stage. The money spent on those seminars have been greatly recouped by the membership of our department by providing current and safe tools and equipment and thus transferred to the residents that we protect by allowing us to put more manpower (Or womanpower, 7 female firefighter/emts on the department) on the scene allowing us to perform our jobs more safely and efficiently. I for one am very thankful for the AFG. However, I am not about to depend on it for my departments future, so we are always continuing to look for new and additional ways to secure the future safety of our department. I have seen first hand what can be done with this program and have seen lots of departments that would have never had new trucks or equipment had it not been for this program.

[fireman8611]

Well said Limeforever. I hope that after our seminar, I can say I am 1-4.

[ktb9780]

Well said Limeforever. I hope that after our seminar, I can say I am 1-4.
You know Dwayne the current national average is a good grant writer gets one out of every 6 that they write so, if you look at it that way, you are only 2 away from a "yes". Hopefully, we make that difference in this year!;)

[DragonsBane]

Believe me the $1,000,000 grants upset me more than a little. Not because they got them, but because we are waiting on our response. Since I haven't got the dreaded DJ and I am the primary contact person, I guess we are still in the running.

The hard part about this is the fact to the best of my knowledge we are the only fire department in the state of PA to have never gotten a grant from anybody. We operated a social club, which in years past, gave us all the funding we needed. Now with all the standard changes and the increase in prices on everything from scba's to fuel, we have to apply for grants to maintain some kind of operability. Not only that, due a screw-up at our 911 center our county was forced to upgrade to a high band radio system. We applied for grants for the radios and got turned down. Most of the companies around here did. Hence a very large part of our budget was blown apart to buy new radios to keep operating.

In our current state we are in danger of having our insurance pulled as our insurance company is demanding we update our equipment to the new standards. Without our insurance we can no longer operate. We have tried other insurance companies to no avail.

Some of the equipment we asked for in the grant is equipment we have never had. Like a cascade and compressor system as we have no way to currently refill our Scba's between fires. This requires alot of coordination between us and a neighboring department to get them refilled. Sometimes this could take days to get done. And we have had many times where we have run 3 or 4 structure fires in a 24 hr period.

My current gear is the best we have. It is currently about 10 years old and is in need of replacement asap as I am one of three guys who have gear even being close to suitable for interior attack.

Now I do realize there are departments who are worse off than we are. My question is why do they continually get overlooked? I really don't like the idea of a fire company getting turned down for badly needed money because a few things aren't worded just so. All this does in put the odds in favor of a company who can afford to hire a professional.

PA has the highest number of Vollie Departments in the U.S. We also have the most in depth training requirements to obtain a firefigther 1 cert. We cover about 1500 people as a primary response and about 10 times that number on a mutual aid response. Most of the people we cover are on fixed incomes. We cover alot of farms with who knows what chemicals around and we can't get a grant for any haz-mat gear. We also are in close proximity to 3 major highways.

Well I guess my rant is done for now. Congrats to those who got already and good luck to those who are still in it. Hopefully we get an answer soon, but something needs to be done woth how the grants are handed out.

[imafireman]

I am speaking for my department as well as my neighboring departments by saying that we also are very happy with the AFG, especially this year!! Prior to this year though, we received our last award in 2002 for mainly gear, exhaust fans, portable pump, etc. The years that followed, we got really greedy in our requests. Kurt, Brian, Earl, Sly, Tom, and the other successful writers in here have stressed the importance of choosing "A" project that is most critical to your department and going after it. For those of you that are not having much success, look at what you are requesting. If you need gear, go after gear, if it is SCBA, go for it, if it is a new tanker, write why it is a critical need. My mistakes were one, not following the guidance on the narrative, and two going after too much in the application. I hear of people that are three for four and such, but that is because they did not try to replace everything with one grant application. They were able to show a sufficient need each of those awarded years without looking greedy in the computer and reviewers eyes. I am not saying anything new here. I am trying to pound the point that we need to concentrate on one project per year. I know if I would have kept going with our apps the way I did prior to the seminar with Kurt, I would be in the DJ seat once again. Go to these seminars people!! Find one within a couple of hours from where you live and get the personnal attention that is available. You may not like hearing everything they have to say, but it is for the betterment(sorry if that isnt a word) of your department. I know I had to throw my narrative away this year and start from scratch in order to follow through with what my mentor was telling me to do. When I went back to my department to ask if they would send me to the seminar in the Johnstown, PA area in December, there was not even any discussion. I believe I was the first to say that I would be in attendance once again. We were successful on two grants this year, so being successful next year will be even harder. Sorry for rambling!! Stay safe!!

Kelly

[SLY4420]

All very true Kelly.

Did the Pumper/Rescue alone, did the gear/extractor alone, and did the cascade/compressor alone. All three were big needs for us, just put them in priority order and have been rather successful by taking one step at a time.

[LFD1MICHAEL]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, enough from you two. Concentrate on one project, show need, spend 6 months on the project instead of 6 hours. If I did all of that I wouldn’t have time to bellyache about the $1mill. awards this week.

On that note…..GEE DO YOU THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE NEEDED THE STUFF? No they probably didn’t deserve it, work hard for it and put together a couple of kick butt proposals / applications. They were just in the right place at the right time.

C’mon everybody, who ever wrote and received those awards deserves a huge atta-boy instead of a kick in the knees.:eek:

[ktb9780]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, enough from you two. Concentrate on one project, show need, spend 6 months on the project instead of 6 hours. If I did all of that I wouldn’t have time to bellyache about the $1mill. awards this week.

On that note…..GEE DO YOU THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE NEEDED THE STUFF? No they probably didn’t deserve it, work hard for it and put together a couple of kick butt proposals / applications. They were just in the right place at the right time.

C’mon everybody, who ever wrote and received those awards deserves a huge atta-boy instead of a kick in the knees.:eek:


Glad to see that a few people in here recognize that regardless of what you think, the reviewer's were obviously convinced that the need existed and that it was thoroughly explained and documented. I get the impression from the naysayers that they believe that some "political favor" was somehow pulled out of the hat for them to get that award.

Lest you have forgotten, lets all remember that it was three other fellow fire service members who gave them the nod for that grant, not congress or officials from AFG! True, and I am certain that they had congressional support from their state senators and congressmen but, that is just good solid grant strategy. Having been involved in several $1 mill awards I can attest to the dedication and "nose to the grindstone" work they had to do and to the grant writer who developed that project successfully.;)

[Greenacres2]

We are 0-3 in the AFG. Haven't even made it to peer reviews. My first try was hurried, second I took a little more time and thougth I did a good job, and third time I got some help from Kurt, worked on it for about six months and still got DJ. This is why I am having Kurt come to Montgomery IN to get me educated on what I am doing wrong. I am a believer that these seminars are worth the time and money to attend. Ain't that right greenacres2???????? greenacres2 has been to a couple of Kurts seminars and hosted him last year and his department is reeping the rewards by thousands of dollars. PRICELESS!!!!

Dat's right. Looks to me like one of the keys is sorting through your needs alalysis and then cross-matching with the program guidance. A lot of emphasis gets put on the narrative, but if you match the right project to the program, the narrative only needs to be readable to seal the deal.

And regarding the high-dollar salaries the Gurus command--i have enough stress working a handful of projects, I can't imagine the juggling Kurt and Brian do. that would make me crazy.

earl (or is that crazier??)

[ktb9780]

And regarding the high-dollar salaries the Gurus command--i have enough stress working a handful of projects, I can't imagine the juggling Kurt and Brian do. that would make me crazy.

earl (or is that crazier??)
High dollar salaries; ppppuuuullleeeze! :eek: If that were the case why am I currently trying to refinance a mortgage ( not a good time for that I guarantee you), have a almost negative balance in the savings accounts and a stack of bills growing deeper everyday. Hey folks, speaking for myself, I need a second job as well but, I spend way too much time in here for that.It's a job that pays the bills; just like everyone else has to do. :eek: ;)

[LVFD301]

The grants for a $1mil, won't touch most communications projects. The P standards on the radios have blown the prices through the roof.


Just remember, those P25 radios ARE coming down in cost. VHF P25
radios are now below 1k each. A far cry from a year ago.

[dekalbchief]

Kurt,
Bad news down south! The drought has killed our corn yields and JD is going to be more costly than ever! Better get that second job delivering pizzas!!:eek:

Donny

[SLY4420]

For those still upset about Round 6, it looks like Round 7 may make up for it. Should be rather large.

PA is seeing over $3M alone.

[accesslocks]

Where do you find that kind of info?? is it public accessible?

[kvfd56]

I don't talk too much here...but I do listen (and read the new threads as well as the old)....learned enuff, I guess, as I wrote a grant for PPE/SCBA for our little ole volunteer dept this year, the first time we've asked for help...got the 1199 a couple weeks ago and the 10Q today. Had some slight $$ reduction but that's ok....hopefully we'll now be able to replace our over 15 years old PPE and our recycled industral airpacks. Thanks to those of you who talk alot.

[Greenacres2]

Many (but by no means all) Senators and Congressmen/women post news releases on Wednesday afternoon. Check their web sites. Sometimes one of our own develops a good enough relationship with the Congressional staffers to get a copy of the awards list that goes up the Hill on Wednesdays.

Politics may not decide who gets awarded, but building a good pipeline may sometime get good intelligence in your hands.

earl

[ktb9780]

Kurt,
Bad news down south! The drought has killed our corn yields and JD is going to be more costly than ever! Better get that second job delivering pizzas!!:eek:

Donny
Ah but Donny, you forget so soon my friend. I am a single barrel owner with about 12 more cases to go before going dry and having to return to the well!:D

[ktb9780]

Many (but by no means all) Senators and Congressmen/women post news releases on Wednesday afternoon. Check their web sites. Sometimes one of our own develops a good enough relationship with the Congressional staffers to get a copy of the awards list that goes up the Hill on Wednesdays.

Politics may not decide who gets awarded, but building a good pipeline may sometime get good intelligence in your hands.

earl

Ah yes being on the grant liason's speed dial list certainly helps. I see many of my clients being happy campers on Friday!:D

[Greenacres2]

I don't talk too much here...but I do listen (and read the new threads as well as the old)....learned enuff, I guess, as I wrote a grant for PPE/SCBA for our little ole volunteer dept this year, the first time we've asked for help...got the 1199 a couple weeks ago and the 10Q today. Had some slight $$ reduction but that's ok....hopefully we'll now be able to replace our over 15 years old PPE and our recycled industral airpacks. Thanks to those of you who talk alot.

Congrats on getting the first one. Now will come the endless nights of trying to spend 3 or 4 years' worth of budget all at once!! Also--congrats on becoming your department's permanent grant writer!! :D

earl (been there, done that, remember it well)

[neiowa]

Congrats on getting the first one. Now will come the endless nights of trying to spend 3 or 4 years' worth of budget all at once!! Also--congrats on becoming your department's permanent grant writer!! :D

earl (been there, done that, remember it well)

Amen on that and advice on that note.

If you don't do this regularily, as is the case of most of us, it's a big project spending this $. Just finding time to set thru the pitch of a 1/2 dozen suppliers is hard. We all want to stretch this lucre as far as we possibly can and get the most bang for the buck. May never happen again. Don't want to get the "wrong" gear.

Get an/your bookeeper or accountant involved in the purchasing project. NOTHING gets done informally. Every piece of equipment is ordered with a typed Purchase Order signed by the chief/"purchasing agent" and your accounting person. All packing lists, invoices, and POs matched as items are received and then reconciled as you pay. If you're not accustomed to regularly spending $50 or 100k in a month or two and receiving 20 or 50 shipments of misc sizes, types of equipment a variety of vendors it's a lot harder than you might expect (or is if all your FF have real jobs). Your accountant/bookkeeper very likely is not qualified either but is at least a beancounter. If your community has someone that works as a purchasing agent for a private company enlisting them to do this work would be a wise thing. They aren't going to be involved in the choice of brand/model (other than keeping your $ in line).

[Greenacres2]

Do i hear "Preach it Brother" from the back of the room?? :D I remember sittning at the station at midnight on a FRIDAY night looking at swatches and notes--for about the third night in a row!! We are, fortunately, getting better at it now as we've had a bit more experience. That first time though....WOW. :eek:

earl (glad it happened!!)

[Limeforever]

Hey Earl what's the current tally, how have we done? I know the group you hosted hit pretty good in the first few rounds. I went 2 for 2 on the equipment grants with a first round and a fifth rounder. Now if I could just get it through to the rest of the departments around me to make an investment and get a little training.

[ktb9780]

Hey Earl what's the current tally, how have we done? I know the group you hosted hit pretty good in the first few rounds. I went 2 for 2 on the equipment grants with a first round and a fifth rounder. Now if I could just get it through to the rest of the departments around me to make an investment and get a little training.
Yea and he just had a late round FP&S grant winner that was a student too so that group is doing quite well. Derrick I know what you mean guy, they have an opportunity right there in Hazard and although they have a few signed up right now I can't believe more have not gotten on the bandwagon, especially after your fire school. Oh well there loss, less competititon for you I guess. You can lead them to water but you can't make them drink. LOL!:rolleyes:

[Greenacres2]

I need to get a mass e-mailing out to find out where we are. In order to make time for that...well I'm headed out early in the morning for another weekend of too much noise and sun. After this month, things will slow down a bit. My bride might remind me that i said that last month too.

Between you and the Chicago crew and Ryan--we have to be above a million $mackers. Not bad for a snowy weekend.

earl

[ktb9780]

I need to get a mass e-mailing out to find out where we are. In order to make time for that...well I'm headed out early in the morning for another weekend of too much noise and sun. After this month, things will slow down a bit. My bride might remind me that i said that last month too.

Between you and the Chicago crew and Ryan--we have to be above a million $mackers. Not bad for a snowy weekend.

earl

Earl I'll see what I can dig up form my records!;)

[Limeforever]

We have been very fortunate and updated just about everything we have needed, went from four styles of SCBA's to one style, and turnout gear for everyone just to start, passed most of the old stuff on down, but have tried several times to get these departments to apply for new stuff but they won't. Then they are the first to complain when we get something else. I believe the saying goes " you get 100% of what you don't ask for" cmon Earl a little help here your are the wording guru. I like the less competition.

[Limeforever]

We sign the order for our new mini pumper in the morning, but I am gonna apply myself toward a new tanker next year to handle the county runs we have been making. Forest/brush fires have been slamming the whole county this week, and with the leaves already coming down due to the drought, its gonna be a long fall for us I am afraid. Four departments out right now including my station.