Where's all the FIRE ACT applications?

[BucksEng91]

Yo, TD! My other favorite poster! Good to see you back here.

Hey, I'm not flogging the hell out of a dead horse, TD. This one just jumped up out of the grave and he's buckin' to beat the daylights out of ya. It's not dead by a long shot.

I hate to say, "I told you so," but I will. I TOLD YOU SO.

It's not the short lead time, TD. That's a red herring. It's about the fact that federal regulations are so dense (even with that incredible example of a contradiction in terms, the "Paperwork Reduction Act" - which probably was printed on about 5000 pages itself) that NO ONE could be expected to be able to wade through it except the big, well-funded departments with lotsa people on light duty. We said this, way back. And we were right.

This is proving one of Mongo's critical arguments - that the Feds can take anything and make it complicated beyond anyone's ability to understand - just look at the tax code, as a for instance.

It also proves one of my points - that all of the time wasted trying to come to terms with the federal bureaucracy could have been so much better spent in securing local funding sources. I wonder how many smaller departments spent large blocks of time trying to meet the criteria for grant applications, then finally just threw their hands up in frustration. Wasted time, wasted time.

Nobody likes a sore loser, TD. Come on, give it up for Bucks, Mongo, and RJE. We were right. At least have the class to say so - we were gracious when funding was restored. We didn't like it, but we congratulated the people who supported the act, like gentlemen.

Oh, and about the mutual aid - no thanks, although I'm sure you're department is quite professional.

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J. Black

The opinions expressed are mine and mine alone and may not reflect those of any organization with which I am associated.

[EastKyFF]

I think Snowman aced it--sure, we spent lots of time in Feb & Mar getting our stuff together, but the precise wording & format were a mystery until the actual app came out.

Why rush an app into the mail when FEMA has clearly stated that it is not first-come, first-served? Better to let it sit and let your brain clear, look it over again, and make sure it's good.

Overall, I still think their estimates are too high on total apps. I think the NFIRS requirement will eliminate from contention many of the fire departments that worst need to be IN contention.

Should be an interesting couple of months.

[jdm2267]

Bob Snyder:
My intent was not to insult fire depts. It was rather a comment on the federal govts ability to make a program cumbersome and complicated. But then again, how would a federal buearocrat know what a Idaho fire dept needs. This is why I agree with many; let's keep it local. I would imagine many depts will suffer because of this program in a sense that the local officials will say, "We don't need to budget that, you can get it through grants". Local officials will now try to cut, because funds are available elsewhere. I hope this national funding doesn't go any further. My motto "LESS GOVERNMENT".

[mongofire_99]

Tillerdog as I live and breath!

you will get audited if you're approved for funding, so most of us don't want to "fudge" the numbers.

The camel is going to stick his nose into your tent? Man I hope the maid came and swept out all the sand.

I am going to start holding prayer meetings in my station on Saturday and Sunday nights, so we can qualify as a faith-based program, since Junior finds that an appropriate role for federal government assistance

Gawd, is there no end to how far you're willing to shred our constitution?

But you know, you might be on to something there......

Bucks

Always good to see you.

I wonder how many smaller departments spent large blocks of time trying to meet the criteria for grant applications, then finally just threw their hands up in frustration. Wasted time, wasted time.

So far I know of two locally. I was standing with the chief from one of them when he was printing it off. As soon as it was finished he scanned it and round filed it with comment "I ain't got time for this BS." And he was so looking forward to his fair share of yours, the Dogs and my money!

jdm2267

It was rather a comment on the federal govts ability to make a program cumbersome and complicated.

And when has the federal government ever gotten involved in something and made it easy or better as a result? That question still lingers from the last debate on this issue.

I would imagine many depts will suffer because of this program in a sense that the local officials will say, "We don't need to budget that, you can get it through grants". Local officials will now try to cut, because funds are available elsewhere.

I can see it happening too.

Hey Everyone

i just got the new fire act app in the mail:

How much do you have? ____________

How much do you need? ____________

What are you going to use it for? ___________

For populations under 50,000, can you match 10%? YES NO

For populations over 50,000 can you match 30%? YES NO

Can You Sign Here ___________

Funny thing is it came with the new 1040 proposal from the left side for us rich Americans that says:

Please disregard this notice if your total household income is less than $35,000 per year. You are the working Americans and deserve your fair share of those evil rich peoples money.

How much did you make last year? ___________

Send it in.

OK, all kidding aside.

Regardless of my opinion on the constitutionality of this issue I truly hold absolutely no ill feelings towards you for applying and maybe seeing some of my money (I wrote mongo luvs pooky on all the dollars I paid my taxes in). The world would be a boring place if we all thought alike and besides, we need liberals to laugh at.

And to those of you that get some of my money that was forcfully taken from me, don't bother with the thank you card. That would be kinda insulting considering it was a mandatory donation I made.

[This message has been edited by mongofire_99 (edited 04-19-2001).]

[Bob Snyder]

>> Bob Snyder: My intent was not to insult fire depts. It was rather a comment on the federal govts ability to make a program cumbersome and complicated.

It certainly came off as a slam, but I can accept that...and I certainly agree with you on this point.

>> But then again, how would a federal buearocrat know what a Idaho fire dept needs. This is why I agree with many; let's keep it local.

As I said, this argument certainly has merit. At the same time, I'm not walking away from the chance to get the cash when it's out there, and, when I look at some of the other things that get funded, i don't feel a bit bad about it, either.

>> I would imagine many depts will suffer because of this program in a sense that the local officials will say, "We don't need to budget that, you can get it through grants". Local officials will now try to cut, because funds are available elsewhere.

Actually, our municipality has taken the approach of "let's give this a try and see what happens" and they've admitted right up front that they don't really expect anything from this, either. I can certainly live with that...we give this a shot and, when (sorry, "if") we get nothing, we try to get the job done another way. Other places, fire cos. might not be so lucky to have such understanding.

So...I'll go back and take the "you" out of the middle of my earlier post...but I still hold this up as evidence of how out of touch the people in places like Emmitsburg are with the reality outside of the cities and their immediate suburbs.

[jizumper-5]

Since I have moved, I have been a member of a few departments. I have been helping my 1st dept. out with the federal grant program with the chief. Both he and I work full time jobs and have a life so we volunteer on the side. With in this month's time we arranged a brainstorming session, got quotes and are sending in the final draft in a few days. It was rough but by no means impossible.

I would like to have seen the money go locally or even state wide for fire departments but it didn't. So I guess we have to work with the cards we are dealt. I will not be upset if we do not get funding and will not be upset with departments that get funding. Hey if it helps some company out that is good. In no way is this post looking to criticize anyone since I see that sometime it happens without knowing.

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Keep Safe!

[This message has been edited by jizumper-5 (edited 04-20-2001).]

[Ken Hanks]

Finally completed our grant application. It took at least 50 hours over the last couple of weeks-research, getting prices, writing the narratives, etc.

I asked the wife of one of our retired captains to proofread the narratives-she is an english teacher.

The plan is to have the whole package in the hands of Fed-Ex Monday morning.

Thirty days for a grant application is tough. I can see where some (many?) departments will not be able to meet the deadline.

[This message has been edited by Ken Hanks (edited 04-20-2001).]

[P Bishop]

Hey folks we are all in this together. The people in Washington don't know what the Fire Departments in Idaho need until the Fire Departments in Idaho send in their grant material. I hope they send in alot of grant applications. Some small departments will have trouble coming up with the match, as they will everywhere in the US.

Our grant application went in today so the number will go up.

Lets go to work and get applications in so the lawmakes will see that the Fire Service in the United States truly needs help.

Hang in there folks!

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P. Bishop