What happens if the prize goes unclaimed?

[EFD840]

Here's a question to ponder. What happens if a department gets awarded and never claims the award? I'm not talking about declining, I mean your numbers hit and you never cashed the lotto ticket. Is there a date when FEMA will simply give up and award the money to another department?

I ask because I have a suspicion that it might happen here in Alabama. In short, a department that was awarded on 8/22 just had the chief and several members arrested for arson. I don't have any knowledge of this department or how they're organized. Maybe they have people ready to step up and fill the void but if they don't, I wonder what happens to the grant?

--------
Published Tuesday, September 16, 2003 10:23 AM EDT

LaFAYETTE -- Following an investigation by the Chambers County Sheriff's Department and the Alabama Fire Marshal's Office, five people, including a junior firefighter, have been arrested in connection with recent fires in the Cusseta area.

A sheriff's department spokesman reported Monday afternoon that deputies, along with firefighters from the Oak Bowery and Cusseta volunteer fire departments and the LaFayette Fire Department, responded to a July 11 call reporting that an abandoned house located in the 4000 block of County Road 290 was on fire.

"This was the beginning of what became a fire spree in this area involving three houses that were total losses, as well as a brush fire in the same area," Sheriff Sid Lockhart said.

Cusseta Fire Chief Thomas Andrew Corley, 25, of Cusseta, who's employed at the sheriff's office as a corrections officer, has been arrested and charged with three counts of conspiracy to commit arson second degree.

Firefighter Larry Thomas Hurley Jr., 26, of Cusseta has been charged with three counts of arson second degree, Firefighter Kimberly Dawn Watts-Stell, 27, of Cusseta has been charged with three counts of arson second degree, and William Edward Daniel, 24, of Valley has been charged with one count of arson second degree.

A 17-year-old junior firefighter from Cusseta has been charged with two counts of arson second degree.

The sheriff's office expressed its appreciation to the West Point Police Department Investigations Division, the 5th Circuit District Attorney's Office and the Chambers County Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task force for their assistance in solving this case.

[waterboy1]

Noticing the ages of these people, maybe another junior firefighter could step up to the plate.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Great, just what everyone needs, a bunch of wing nuts giving the rest of us a bad name.


Anyway...back to the original question, if the award had already been announced, which it looks like it is, then it is up to the department to decide at this point whether or not they can meet the financial obligation. If they know they can't then they should voluntarily deny the award. But it is up to them if they can fund it that they have every right to keep going and fulfill the project. Something will probably come from FEMA at the 6 month progress report due date if they haven't done anything with the award. At that point FEMA may take it back depending on what answers they get from the department. I don't know. I would hope this wouldn't adversely affect the entire department and the community they serve twice, once for the stupidity of a few, once by not taking the award. If it does come back to FEMA, they will pass it on to the next in line.

[waterboy1]

Good answer BC79er, but would Bail Bonds be considered an adminstrative cost.

On a serious note, I do not understand the mentality of people like this that give us all a bad name. If this is true, they deserve what they get. The real losers are their residents.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

If they had put in for bail bonds, then I guess if it was approved then they can use the funds that way.

That would make it harder on their defense attorneys. Probably a bit hard defending premeditated bail funding. "Here's your sign."