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  • #1

    Station Construction Grant

    Tried to check out the old thread about the Station Construction Grants and found that it's been closed. So I went ahead and started this new one because there have been some new developments of late.

    Initially received a denial in June, and were told that they'd keep our app on file just in case any more funds became available. Well, that must have happened because I was contacted by e-mail Friday confirming that WE ARE APPROVED for a Station Construction Grant!!!

    They contacted us about a week ago and asked us to re-authenticate our bank routing and account numbers. So I figured something was up. Provided the requested authentication and within a couple of days we received our confirmation!

    Someone up there must be looking out for us
    Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
    Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
    Paincourtville, LA

    "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
    — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Originally posted by dmleblanc View Post
    Tried to check out the old thread about the Station Construction Grants and found that it's been closed. So I went ahead and started this new one because there have been some new developments of late.

    Initially received a denial in June, and were told that they'd keep our app on file just in case any more funds became available. Well, that must have happened because I was contacted by e-mail Friday confirming that WE ARE APPROVED for a Station Construction Grant!!!

    They contacted us about a week ago and asked us to re-authenticate our bank routing and account numbers. So I figured something was up. Provided the requested authentication and within a couple of days we received our confirmation!

    Someone up there must be looking out for us
    Well how about that. Congratulations chief. Good things come to those who wait. Now if they would just call me back on my app.

    Comment

    • #3
      Originally posted by dmleblanc View Post
      Tried to check out the old thread about the Station Construction Grants and found that it's been closed. So I went ahead and started this new one because there have been some new developments of late.

      Initially received a denial in June, and were told that they'd keep our app on file just in case any more funds became available. Well, that must have happened because I was contacted by e-mail Friday confirming that WE ARE APPROVED for a Station Construction Grant!!!

      They contacted us about a week ago and asked us to re-authenticate our bank routing and account numbers. So I figured something was up. Provided the requested authentication and within a couple of days we received our confirmation!

      Someone up there must be looking out for us
      I was thinking we had gotten the denial letter at the same time, I hope they send us a will you accept letter. Congrats

      Comment

      • #4
        Congratulations Chief! Glad to see it worked out for you too.

        Comment

        • #5
          Originally posted by dmleblanc View Post
          Tried to check out the old thread about the Station Construction Grants and found that it's been closed. So I went ahead and started this new one because there have been some new developments of late.

          Initially received a denial in June, and were told that they'd keep our app on file just in case any more funds became available. Well, that must have happened because I was contacted by e-mail Friday confirming that WE ARE APPROVED for a Station Construction Grant!!!

          They contacted us about a week ago and asked us to re-authenticate our bank routing and account numbers. So I figured something was up. Provided the requested authentication and within a couple of days we received our confirmation!

          Someone up there must be looking out for us
          So what to you have planned? size $ etc?

          Comment

          • #6
            Congrats: They must be auditing the end of fiscal year books and found enough to give you the funding. They have to get the books done for this month.
            Congratulations again! Good thing come to those that wait.

            Comment

            • #7
              Originally posted by neiowa View Post
              So what to you have planned? size $ etc?
              Planning a 4-bay station (2 back-ins and 1 double-deep drive through) Total project cost is in the mid-$800,000 range. Don't remember the square footage exactly. We have owned the property for about 4 years now (approx. 1 acre).

              Downstairs will be a full kitchen, two bathrooms, a meeting/training room, and two offices. There will also be an enclosed shop/maintenance area behind the engine bays. Upstairs will have sleeping quarters, a sort of day room/hanging out area, fitness area, and locker rooms/showers.

              We're meeting with the engineer tonight...he already has the design finished, we're going to review it with him and see if it needs any tweaks. I'll see if I can get him to send me a copy of it and try to post it here if I can.

              I hope we get to move forward quickly. At any rate I don't think we'll start anything before the first of the year because the sugar cane harvest season is just starting and we're building on the road to the sugar mill....lots of truck traffic, mud, etc., so things get kind of messy and chaotic around here from September through the end of the year.

              Once it gets off the ground, I'm planning to start a thread here on the forums with pics and progress reports, so I'll keep you posted!
              Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
              Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
              Paincourtville, LA

              "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
              — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

              Comment

              • #8
                How much do you think the Fed requirements are running up the cost compared to building as a "normal"/real world project.


                I'm hearing of FD in my area turning down USDA grants as the requirements of custom engineered/architect, historical review, archilogical review, endless gov't BS is doubling the cost of their $350000 station project. With end result is that the grant costs them MORE out of local pocket to build a new station. Same reason I did not submit a station grant.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Congratulations Chief Leblanc! Glad to see some money being spent locally in South Louisiana. You guys are invited to participate in our parade next weekend too. Sunday the 17th at 10:30 on Hwy 304. Hope to see yall there.

                  Josh Falgoust
                  Rescue Chief
                  Chackbay Vol. Fire Department
                  Chackbay, La

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    I will be in Sulphur LA next week teaching. Either of you two close to there?

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      congrats

                      Congratulations to you and your department. Maybe more money will be available. I will be watching.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Originally posted by neiowa View Post
                        How much do you think the Fed requirements are running up the cost compared to building as a "normal"/real world project.


                        I'm hearing of FD in my area turning down USDA grants as the requirements of custom engineered/architect, historical review, archilogical review, endless gov't BS is doubling the cost of their $350000 station project. With end result is that the grant costs them MORE out of local pocket to build a new station. Same reason I did not submit a station grant.

                        Well, our budget and plans were actually drawn up by the parish engineer, who is familiar with grant funding and doing projects with Fed money. So I believe he anticipated most of those types of costs in the budget. I know that, among other things, it's probably going to require some sort of elevator for ADA compliance (since we're having a second floor). I have already been contacted by someone with FEMA who is our point of contact for environmental compliance, who will be working with us to make sure we satisfy any environmental requirements.

                        I do think that these requirements will drive up the cost from what we could have done if we had been able to fund it locally, but again, I think our engineer has addressed all that in his estimates.

                        Of course, some of those departments that ended up having to turn down their grants are probably the reason they found the money to fund ours, so I can't complain too much...:-)

                        I will be in Sulphur LA next week teaching. Either of you two close to there?
                        Not really. Chackbay is not far from me (about 30 minutes, maybe) but Sulphur is out in west Louisiana, closer to Texas. Probably 3-4 hours west of us on I-10.
                        Last edited by dmleblanc; 10-10-2010, 12:48 AM.
                        Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
                        Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
                        Paincourtville, LA

                        "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
                        — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Originally posted by dmleblanc View Post
                          I hope we get to move forward quickly. At any rate I don't think we'll start anything before the first of the year because the sugar cane harvest season is just starting and we're building on the road to the sugar mill....lots of truck traffic, mud, etc., so things get kind of messy and chaotic around here from September through the end of the year.

                          !
                          Case in point....Yesterday morning....
                          Attached Files
                          Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
                          Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
                          Paincourtville, LA

                          "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
                          — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Station floor plan

                            Couldn't make the PDF file show here....I'll figure it out...
                            Last edited by dmleblanc; 10-28-2010, 12:55 AM.
                            Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
                            Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
                            Paincourtville, LA

                            "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
                            — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              OK, worked this time, but I had to cut it down so small I hope you can even make sense of it.
                              Attached Files
                              Chief Dwayne LeBlanc
                              Paincourtville Volunteer Fire Department
                              Paincourtville, LA

                              "I have a dream. It's not a big dream, it's just a little dream. My dream — and I hope you don't find this too crazy — is that I would like the people of this community to feel that if, God forbid, there were a fire, calling the fire department would actually be a wise thing to do. You can't have people, if their houses are burning down, saying, 'Whatever you do, don't call the fire department!' That would be bad."
                              — C.D. Bales, "Roxanne"

                              Comment

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