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HomeMy WebLinkAbout63-04 RESOLUTIONRESOLUTION NO. 63-04
A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A GRANT REQUEST
FOR A FEMA FIRE ACT GRANT AND AGREEMENT
TO MATCH ANY RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS IN AN
AMOUNT EQUAL TO 30% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS•
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby
approves and authorizes a grant request from the City of Fayetteville to be submitted to
FEMA for a Fire Act Grant and agrees that the City shall match any grant received in an
amount equal to 30% of the total project cost.
PASSED and APPROVED this the 20th day of April, 2004.
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FAYETTEVILLE
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SONDRA SMIT , Ci
By:
APPROVED:
By:
DAN COODY, Mayor
•
NAME OF FILE: Resolution No. 63-04
CROSS REFERENCE:
Item #
Date
Document
•
1
04/01/04
memo to mayor & city council
2
draft resolution
3
02/01/04
copy
Firefighters
of
2004 Program
Grant Program
Guidance for Assistance to
4
04/07/04
Staff Review Form
5
04/23/04
memo to Chris Bosch
NOTES:
•City Co• it Meeting of March 16 2003
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CITY COUNCIL AGENDA MEMO
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Chris Bosch, Fire Chief
Date: April 1, 2004
Subject: A Resolution providing the Fire Department with Council approval to submit a grant request for a
FEMA FIRE Act Grant during the 2004 funding cycle.
RECOMMENDATION
The Fire Department recommends approval of a Resolution allowing us to apply for the 2004 round of the
FIRE Act Grant program currently administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and
the Department of Homeland Security.
BACKGROUND
As you know, for the past two years the Fire Department has received project and program funding through
the annual FEMA FIRE Act Grant program. In 2003, the Fire Department submitted a funding request to
FEMA for the development of a Fire Fighter Wellness/Fitness and EMS Training Program. We received
notice of our 2003 award and are currently working with the U of A to develop and implement the program.
DISCUSSION
The Assistance to Fire Fighters (FIRE Act) Grant program, administered by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, was established during the Fall of 2000 in an effort to provide local fire fighters
with necessary funding to secure and maintain many of the basic tools, equipment and training required
to ensure the safety and security of our nations citizens.
The anticipated Congressional funding level for 2004 is $745 million dollars. These funds are identified
and made available in four separate categories; Fire Operations and Fire Fighter Safety Program, Fire
Prevention Program, Emergency Medical Services Program and Firefighting Vehicle Acquisitions. The
Fire Department will be requesting equipment through the Fire Operations and Fire Fighter Safety
program, which will assist us in enhancing our minimum standards training program and compliment
our 2004 theme of "Back to Basics" training.
BUDGET IMPACT
Under the current guidelines grants are awarded with varying matching funds requirements with paid
professional departments having a 70/30 matching funds requirement. The 2004 grant requires the
Department to provide 30% in matching funds; however, Insurance Turnback (Act 833) monies can be
used to meet this requirement for the 2004 funding cycle. The Fire Department is planning to utilize
annual Act 833 funds to meet the matching funds guidelines as required by FEMA.
1
• •
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION TO APPROVE A GRANT REQUEST
FOR A FEMA FIRE ACT GRANT AND AGREEMENT
TO MATCH ANY RECEIVED GRANT FUNDS IN AN
AMOUNT EQUAL TO 30% OF THE TOTAL PROJECT
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
FAYETTEVILLE, ARKANSAS:
Section 1: That the City Council of the City of Fayetteville, Arkansas hereby
approves and authorizes a grant request from the City of Fayetteville to be submitted to
FEMA for a Fire Act Grant and agrees that the City shall match any grant received in an
amount equal to 30% of the total project cost.
PASSED and APPROVED this the 20`h day of April, 2004.
ATTEST:
By:
SONDRA SMITH, City Clerk
By:
APPROVED:
10% lb°
DAN COODY, Mayor
r
•
2004 Program Guidance
for the
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
February 2004
This document provides a summary of the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program's priorities. It explains how to apply, what items can be requested, and how
applications will be evaluated. Please read this program guidance carefully. The Final
Rule and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) should also be reviewed when
made available on the Web site of the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP), U,S.
Department of Homeland Security. Together, these four documents will provide you
with the information you need to complete the online application. The online application
will be available at www.olp.usdol.gov/odp on or about March 1, 2004.
Prepared by the Once for Domestic Preparedness and the U.S. Fire Administration
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
PROGRAM GUIDANCE FOR THE
2004 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT PROGRAM
The purpose of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program is to award one-year
grants directly to fire departments of a State to enhance their abilities with respect to fire
and fire -related hazards. Our primary goal is to provide assistance to meet fire
departments' firefighting and emergency response needs. This program seeks to support
departments that lack the tools and resources necessary to protect the health and safety of
the public and their firefighting personnel with respect to fire and all other haiards they
may face. As in prior years' programs, equipment and training for preparing for and
responding to events that involve chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, or explosive
devises (CBRNE) are eligible this year, but we are highlighting those items this year and
requesting applicants to respond to questions concerning their relation to critical targets.
The authority of this program is derived from the Federal Fire Protection and
Control Act of 1974 (15 U.S.C. §§ 2201 et seq.), as amended. In fiscal year 2003,
Congress appropriated a total of $745,125,000 to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) to
carry out the activities of this Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. On March 1,
2003, FEMA and the USFA came under the auspices of the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). For the 2004 program year, Congress appropriated
$750,000,000 and transferred the program's authority from FEMA/USFA to the Office
for Domestic Preparedness (ODP) within DHS. Congress also authorized the use of up to
five percent for administering the grant program. The appropriated funds are available
until September 30, 2005.
Eligible applicants for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program are limited to
fire departments of a State. A "fire department of a State" is defined as an agency or
organization that has a formally recognized arrangement with a State, territory, local, or
tribal authority (city, county, parish, fire district, township, town, or other goveming
body) to provide fire suppression to a population within a fixed geographical area. A
municipality or fire district may submit an application on behalf of a fire department
when the fire department lacks the legal status to do so, e.g., when the fire department
falls within the auspices of the municipality or district. When a municipality or fire
district submits an application on behalf of a fire department, the fire department is
precluded from submitting an additional application on its own. The Alaska Village
Initiative, a nonprofit organization incorporated in the State of Alaska, shall also be
considered eligible for purposes of receiving assistance under this program on behalf of
Alaska Native villages. Each eligible applicant is limited to one application per program
year.
2
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
•
9.
•
A fire department can apply for assistance for its emergency medical services
(EMS) unit provided the unit falls organizationally under the auspices of the fire
department. Non -fire based EMS and Rescue companies are not eligible for awards.
Non -Federal airport and/or port authority fire departments are only eligible if they have a
formally recognized arrangement with the local jurisdiction to provide fire suppression,
on a first -due basis, outside the confines of the airport or port facilities. Airport or port
authority fire departments whose sole responsibility is suppression of fires on the airport
grounds or port facilities are not eligible for this grant program.
Fire departments that are Federal or contracted by the Federal government and are
solely responsible under their formally recognized arrangement for suppression of fires
on Federal installations or land are not eligible for this grant program. Fire stations that
are not independent but are part of, controlled by, or are under the day-to-day operational
direction of a larger fire department or agency, are typically not eligible. Fire
departments that are for-profit departments (i.e., do not have specific nonprofit status or
are not municipally based) are not eligible to apply for assistance under this program.
Also not eligible for this program are ambulance services, rescue squads, auxiliaries, dive
teams, urban search and rescue teams, fire service organizations or associations, and
State/local agencies such as a forest service, fire marshals, hospitals, and training offices.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program for fiscal year 2004 mirrors
previous years' programs with minor changes and enhancements. All the program areas
and activities available last year are eligible for funding again this year. Emergency
medical services activities, however, are not an independent program area for the 2004
program year. Rather, EMS activities have been incorporated into the appropriate
activities under the Operations and Firefighter Safety Program.
Automated Application and Tutorial for 2004
Again, this year's application is automated and available online. The application
will be accessible from the ODP Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/odp) and USFA Web site
(www.usfa.fema.gov). We have designed the automated application with many built-in
"help screens" and "drop-down menus" to assist you throughout the application process.
The application can be saved and retrieved as many times as you need while you're
filling it out, right up to the deadline or submittal. Once you've submitted your
application, however, you cannot change it. Another positive feature of the automated
system is that it will not allow you to submit an incomplete application, i.e., the system
will alert you if you have not provided required information. Also, by submitting your
application online, you will be automatically notified that we have received your
application via e-mail.
A tutorial will be available on the Internet to help applicants use the online grant
application and become familiar with the AFG program. This tutorial explains the AFG
program and many of the application screens; it provides tips for navigating the
3
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
application screens and summarizes the changes in the grant program that are new in
fiscal year 2004. The tutorial also provides a review of the lessons learned from the 2003
grant program.
You may decide to hire or otherwise use a grant writer to assist you in the
application process. This is allowable. However, you, as the applicant, are responsible
for the information contained in your application. By submitting the application, you are
certifying that all of the information contained therein is true and an accurate reflection of
your department. Therefore, please review all work produced by grant writers or other
third parties on your behalf prior to submission.
Paper applications will be accepted but are discouraged. We are discouraging
paper applications because of the inherent delays associated with processing a paper
application. Also, if awarded, applicants who submit paper applications must continue to
manage their grants via paper, including payment requests, requests for modifications,
reporting, etc., whereas electronic applicants can do all of these functions online.
Additionally, paper applications don't have the built-in help that is available to the online
applicants. Finally, there is no built-in assurance that your paper application is complete
when submitted. If you do not have access to the Internet, contact us directly (1-866-
274-0960) to request a paper copy of the application via mail. We will not send the
paper applications to you via overnight delivery, nor by fax or e-mail
The only legitimate paper application is the application that we send you — do not
use any paper application that you did not receive directly from us Do not print the
screens from this year's online application and submit it. Do not use a previous year's
application. Any paper application that is not in the correct format will be deemed
ineligible.
We will begin accepting completed applications for the 2004 program on or about
March 1, 2004 (monitor the ODP and USFA Web sites for up-to-date information on the
application period). Completed applications must be submitted electronically or
otherwise received by us on or before the close of business (5:00 p.m. EDT) on the last
day of the application period, currently projected for April 2, 2004. Applications
submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than four calendar days prior to the end of
the application period. Assuming an April 2, 2004, end -date, we will not accept
applications postmarked after March 30, 2004, unless we receive them prior to the end of
the application period. Applications not submitted electronically must be mailed to the
USFA Grant Program Technical Assistance Center, 16825 South Seton Avenue,
Emmitsburg, Maryland, 21727-8998. No late, incomplete, or faxed applications will be
accepted. No electronically submitted applications other than those submitted online via
the automated grant application system will be accepted. We will not be responsible for
applications mailed to any address other than the address listed above.
4
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
4
• •
Project Development
In 2004, we have continued our practice of allowing you to formulate a very
comprehensive grant proposal. Depending on the program for which you apply, we are
allowing your grant proposal to include a number of related "activities" to address all of
your needs within a programmatic or functional area. This approach provides you with
the opportunity to develop a more comprehensive grant project that addresses a broader
range of your fire department's needs. You may submit only one application per
program year, and your application is further limited to only one of the program areas
listed below. Be advised that your application should include only activities that can be
completed within the one-year grant period.
You can submit an application for any one of this year's three program areas, and,
as stated above, you may include as many activities within that one program as necessary
to meet your needs. The programs, and associated activities eligible in this year's grant
program are as follows:
1. Operations and Firefighter Safety Program. Eligible activities under this
function are limited to training, equipment, personal protective equipment,
wellness and fitness, and modifications to fire stations and facilities*. Please note
that requests for emergency medical services training and equipment are available
under the appropriate activities in this program area. Also, note that requests for
equipment, personal protective equipment, and training to prepare for response to
incidents involving CBRNE are available under the appropriate activities in this
program area.
2. Fire Prevention Program. Eligible activities under this function include, but are
not limited to, public education and awareness activities, fire code enforcement
activities, fire inspector certifications, purchase and installation of smoke alarms
and fire suppression systems , wildland mitigation, and arson prevention and
detection activities. Renovations that are necessary to accomplish the education
and awareness function may be eligible, however, grantees may not change the
footprint or the profile of the building, i.e., the building may not be enlarged nor
can the height increase.
3. Firefighting Vehicle Acquisition Program. Eligible apparatus under this
program include, but are not limited to, pumpers, brush trucks, tankers/tenders,
rescue vehicles, ambulances, quints, aerials, foam units, and fireboats. You may
apply for only one vehicle per year.
As stated above, this year you may submit one application for assistance in only one of
these three program areas. Within your selected program area, you may develop a
• Activities that involve modifications to facilities are subject to all applicable environmental and historic
preservation requirements.
5
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
comprehensive program to address all of your needs by applying for as many of the
eligible activities you determine are necessary. For example, if you determine that your
needs are in the area of Operations and Firefighter Safety, you could apply for any one of
the activities under that program, or any combination of activities, or all of the activities
listed within that program. If you need a vehicle, you must apply under the Firefighting
Vehicle Acquisition Program. You may not apply for a vehicle in any program area other
than the Firefighting Vehicle Acquisition Program.
Application Procedure
Eligible applicants can apply for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program
online via ODP's "e -grants" application process. The system will allow one authorized
representative of a department to log in and create a username and password for the
department. If you submitted an application in previous years, it is advised that you use
the same username and password that you used for your previous applications. The
selection of the authorized representative is at the discretion of each department. The
information requested online is an electronic version of many Federal grant forms. The
application includes general questions about your department and your community, as
well as questions regarding your proposed project.
DUNS Number
Effective October 1, 2003, all Federal grantees must obtain a DUNS number, (a
unique nine -character identification number provided by the commercial company Dun &
Bradstreet). The Federal government will use. the DUNS number to better identify
related organizations that are receiving funding under grants and cooperative agreements
and to provide consistent name and address data for electronic grant applications.
Additional information about DUNS numbers can be found on the Dun & Bradstreet
Web site (www.dnb.com/US/duns update/mdex.html).
There is no charge to obtain a DUNS number, and it is the applicant's
responsibility to obtain one. Applicants are encouraged to apply for a DUNS number
well in advance of the application period because it may take 2 to 3 weeks or more to
obtain the number online. It is recommended that applicants request a DUNS number as
soon as possible by calling 1-800-333-0505. When completing the online application,
there is a special data field for entering the DUNS number. If applying on paper, use the
box entitled "Federal Identifier" on the SF 424, Application for Federal Assistance, to
enter the DUNS number. Be advised that this number is required for all Federal grant
applications, and there may not be any extensions granted for applicants who were unable
to obtain their number prior to the end of the application period.
6
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
Application
As in previous years, you will be required to answer a series of questions
designed to provide the FIRE Grants Program Office with general information about your
department and community. The answers you provide to these questions may be used in
the evaluation of your application. We will also use some of the information to
determine whether your department serves an urban, suburban, or rural community. We
believe that characteristics such as population, water supply, land use, number of fire
stations, number of inhabitable structures over four stories tall in your jurisdiction, and
call volume are indicators of the type of community you serve. We will use these
characteristics in determining what type of community you serve. The designation will
be displayed on the application once you have completed the Department Characteristics
sections of the application.
We have established different funding priorities in some of the program or
activity areas depending on the type of community you serve. These funding priorities
are delineated in each program area below, if applicable. This community designation
(i.e., urban, suburban, or rural) may affect the ranking of your application depending on
the program area for which you are applying. If you disagree with your designation, you
may address your concerns in the narrative section of the application, but you may not
change the designation.
After you have completed the general questions, you will be asked a series of
activity -specific questions relative to the program you selected and the activities for
which you plan to apply. You will answer the questions for each of the activities that
support your project.
Lastly, you will be required to provide a written narrative describing your planned
project. The narrative portion of your application should provide the details of activities
you propose to be funded, including budget details for each of your activities. It should
describe the financial need of your fire department and elaborate on the benefits your
community and/or fire department will gain from the expenditure of the grant funds.
We recommend that you type your narrative offline in any word processing
software, such as Word, Word Perfect, Notepad, etc. Once your narrative is complete,
you can copy it or "copy -and -paste" it from your word-processing document into the
narrative block in the application. Space for the narrative is limited, so your narrative
should not exceed five pages. Do not type your narrative entirely in capital letters.
Evaluation Process
We will rank all complete and eligible applications based on the substance of your
application relative to the established program priorities for the type of community
served. We determine this relationship from your answers to the activity -specific
7
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
questions. If you apply for more than one activity in your selected program, each activity
will be scored separately. Then your scores will be prorated based on the individual
activities' funding level compared to the total requested funding in your application. For
example, if you are applying under the Operations and Firefighter Safety Program, and
you are applying for $9,000 in training and $1,000 in equipment, the training portion of
your proposal will represent 90 percent of your score and the equipment will represent 10
percent of your score. The number of activities included in your application will not
provide any advantage or disadvantage with respect to its evaluation.
Applications that best address the grant program's priorities (as outlined below)
will score higher than those applications that are not directed toward the priorities. The
applications that score the highest will be determined to be in the `competitive range." A
panel of at least three technical evaluation specialists will further evaluate the
applications that are in the competitive range, i.e., the highest -ranked applications. These
panelists will evaluate the application using your project narrative along with the answers
to the general questions and the activity -specific questions.
When reviewing your application, the panelists will use your narrative and all the
information in your application to determine the worthiness of your request for an award.
During the panel review process, the panelists will provide a subjective but qualitative
judgment on the merits of CBRNE equipment and training requests relative to the critical
infrastructure that the applicant protects. Critical infrastructure includes any system or
asset that if attacked would result in catastrophic loss of life or catastrophic economic
loss. Critical infrastructure also includes the following:
• Public water systems serving large population centers.
• Primary data storage and processing facilities, stock exhanges, or major banking
centers.
• Chemical facilities located in close proximity to large population centers.
• Major power generation facilities that exceed 2,000 MW and support the regional
electric grid.
• Hydroelectric facilities and dams that produce power in excess of 2,000 MW or
could cause catastrophic loss of life if breached.
• Nuclear power plants.
• Electric substations 500 KV or larger, and substations 345 KV or larger that are
part of a critical system supporting populations in excess of one million.
• Rail and highway bridges over major waterways that, if destroyed, would cause
catastrophic loss of life or catastrophic economic impact.
• Major natural gas transmission pipelines in excess of 3,000 bcf.
• Natural gas and liquid natural gas storage facilities.
• Major petroleum handling facilities such as pipelines, ports, refineries, and
terminals.
• Telecommunications, Internet and cyber facilities.
• Facilities that support large public gatherings such as sporting events or concerts.
8
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
The panelists will evaluate and score the clarity of your proposed project
including your project's budget detail, the financial need of your department, and the
benefits that would result should you be awarded the grant. These three elements carry
equal weight when factored into the panelists' scores (i.e., one-third). Each application
will be judged on its own merits — not against other applications. The panelists will
consider all expenses budgeted, including administrative and/or indirect costs, as part of
their cost -benefit review. In addition, an applicant can demonstrate cost -benefit by
describing, as applicable, how the grant award will do the following: 1) fit in with a
regional approach, i.e., is consistent with current capabilities and requests of neighboring
fire departments or otherwise benefits other fire departments in the region; 2) promote
interoperability of equipment/technology with other fire departments and local, State, and
Federal first -responders; and/or 3) allow the fire department to respond to all hazards (all
hazards include incidents involving seismic (earthquake), atmospheric (tornadoes,
hurricanes), or technological (hazardous materials, nuclear, etc.) events, or incidents
involving CBRNE, as well as fire prevention/suppression). The panelists will review.
each application in its entirety and compare the application against established evaluation
criteria, not against other applications.
Keep in mind that we will use your answers to the activity -specific questions for
our initial assessment. Your answers to these questions are the primary bases upon which
we will determine whether your application warrants further evaluation. Applicants
whose answers indicate that their project is consistent with our established priorities (as
outlined below) will have a better chance of reaching the competitive range and the
second level of review than those applicants whose projects do not reflect the established
priorities. Applicants that falsify their applications or misrepresent their departments in
any material manner will have their applications deemed ineligible by the AFG program
office and referred for further action as appropriate.
State Technical Review of CBRNE Applications
Following our preliminary determination of award (i.e., after the panel process is
complete) but prior to award, we will involve the State's homeland security office in a
technical review of any application that is seeking equipment and/or training for
preparation for incidents involving CBRNE. Each State will be asked to provide the
AFG program office with a representative to carry out this technical review of
applications from the State that include CBRNE-related requests and that have been rated
as fundable by the peer review panelists. In the technical review, the State representative
will attest to and certify that any CBRNE-related requests are consistent with the State's
homeland security plan and that the requests do not duplicate assistance already provided
or about to be provided.
9
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
Programs and Program Priorities
Specific rating criteria and priorities for each of the grant categories are provided
below following the descriptions of this year's eligible programs. The rating criteria, in
conjunction with the program description, will provide you with an understanding of
what information we are seeking about your proposed projects.
1) Operations and Firefighter Safety Program
There are five different activities available for funding under this program
area: training, equipment, personal protective equipment, wellness and fitness, and
modifications to facilities. Please note that emergency medical services (EMS)
training and equipment are available under the appropriate activity in this program
area. Also note that requests for equipment and training to prepare for response to
incidents involving CBRNE are available under the applicable equipment and training
activities.
You may apply for, as many of the activities within this program as you think
are necessary in one application. There are no bonuses or penalties for applying for
only one activity or for multiple activities. Wherever possible, equipment requests in
this program should have the intent and/or goal of solving applicable interoperability
or compatibility problems. The applicant should describe in the narrative section how
the purchase of equipment would facilitate solving interoperability or compatibility
problems.
a) Training activities:
DHS may make grants for the purpose of training firefighting personnel.
Examples of training activities include, but are not limited to, firefighter I and II
certifications; first -responder EMS; driver/operator; fire officer; hazardous
materials response; incident command; supervision and safety; CBRNE
awareness, performance, planning and management; or train -the -trainer courses in
any of these areas.
We believe that the most benefit is derived from training that is instructor -
led, bands -on, and leads to a nationally sanctioned or State certification. Training
requests that include Web -based home study or distance learning and the purchase
of training materials, equipment, or props are a lower priority. Therefore,
applications focused on national or State certification training, including train -the -
trainer initiatives, will receive a higher competitive rating. Training that involves
instructors where the students must demonstrate their grasp of knowledge of the
training material via testing and is integral to a certification will receive a high
competitive rating, but not to the extent of the trainings that would lead to
10
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
national certification. Training that is instructor -led but does not lead to a
certification, or any self-taught courses, are of low benefit, and therefore they will
not be afforded a high priority.
We will rate more highly those proposed programs that benefit the highest
percentage of applicable personnel within a fire department or those proposed
programs that will be open toother departments in the region. Training that
brings the department into statutory (or Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA)) compliance would provide the highest benefit relative to
training that is not required, therefore receive the highest consideration. Training
that brings a department into voluntary compliance with national standards will
also receive a high competitive rating, but not as high as the training that brings a
department into statutory compliance. Training that does not have statutory
compliance or voluntary compliance with a national standard will receive a low
competitive rating.
Due to the inherent differences between urban, suburban, and rural
firefighting characteristics, we have developed different priorities in the training
activity for departments that service these different types of communities.
However, CBRNE awareness training has a high benefit and will receive the
highest consideration regardless of the type of community served.
For departments serving rural communities, we believe that funding basic,
operational -level firefighting, operational -level rescue, driver training, or first -
responder EMS, EMT -B, and EMT -I, (i.e., training in basic firefighting duties)
has greater benefit than funding officer training, safety officer training, or
incident -command training. In rural communities, after basic training, there is a
greater cost -benefit to officer training than for other specialized types of training
such as mass casualty, HazMat, advance rescue and EMT, or inspector training
for rural departments.
Conversely, for departments that are serving urban or suburban
communities, we believe there is a higher benefit to be gained by funding
specialized training, such as mass casualty, HazMat, advance rescue and EMS, or
inspector training than the funding of officer training, safety officer training, or
operations training, which in turn has a higher benefit than basic-, operational-, or
awareness -level activities. Training designated to enhance multi -jurisdictional
capabilities will be afforded a slightly higher rating.
Eligible uses of training funds include but are not limited to tuition, exam
and course fees, certification and/or re -certification expenses, purchase of training
curricula, training equipment (including trailers and simulators), training props,
training services (such as instructors), attendance at formal training forums, etc.
Tow vehicles or other means of transport may be eligible as a transportation
expense under this activity if adequately justified in your grant proposal, but we
11
Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
• •
will limit transportation expenses to $6,000 per year per application.
Compensation to volunteer firefighters for wages lost because of attending
training under this program is an eligible expense if Justified in your grant
proposal. Overtime expenses paid to career firefighters to attend training, or
overtime expenses paid to firefighters to cover for colleagues while the colleagues
are in training, are eligible expenses if Justified in your grant proposal. Even
though compensation is an eligible expense, proposals that contain such
compensation expenses may be less favorably scored than similar proposals
without compensation expenses due to the cost -benefit element in the evaluation
process.
Activities that are not eligible in this area include construction of facilities,
such as classrooms, buildings, towers, etc. Modular training units that are not trailer -
mounted are not eligible. Grant funds cannot be used for modular training units if
the units are to be permanently fastened to the ground. No grant funding can go
toward site preparation to accommodate any training activity, facility, or prop. The
purchase of real estate is also not eligible. Renovations to an existing facility that are
necessary to accomplish training activities are allowable if the renovations are minor
and comply with the definition in the Final Rule and published in the Federal
Register (i.e., limited to minor interior alterations costing less than $10,000).
Renovation expenses should be included in the budget as an "Other" line -item
expense and clearly explained in the narrative.
ODP offers a variety of CBRNE training courses free of charge; visit the ODP
Web site for details (www.olp.usdoj.gov/odp/docs/coursecatalog.pdf) or call the ODP
Helpline at 1-800-368-6498.
b) Equipment Acquisition:
DHS may make grants for acquiring additional equipment, including
equipment for fire suppression, to enhance the safety or effectiveness of
firefighting, rescue, and EMS functions. They may also make grants for
equipment necessary for preparedness for response to CBRNE incidents.
The stated purpose of this grant program is to protect the health and safety
of firefighters from fire and fire -related hazards. As such, we believe that this
grant program will achieve the greatest benefits by providing funds to fire
departments purchasing basic firefighting equipment before any other non -
firefighting equipment. Equipment that has a direct effect on firefighters' health
and safety will receive a high competitive rating over equipment that has no such
effect. Equipment that promotes interoperability with neighboring jurisdictions
may receive additional consideration in the cost -benefit assessment if the
application makes it into the competitive range.
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Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
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We believe this grant program will achieve the greatest benefits if we
provide funds to fire departments purchasing basic firefighting, rescue, EMS, and
CBRNE preparedness equipment that they have never owned prior to the grant or
to replace used or obsolete firefighting equipment. Our second priority will be to
fund departments that are seeking to expand into new mission areas, and therefore
those departments will receive a lower competitive rating than departments
seeking reserve equipment. Additionally, among departments that serve similar
types of communities, those that have high call volumes will be afforded a higher
competitive rating than those that have low call volumes.
The purchase of equipment that brings the department into statutory (or
OSHA) compliance will provide the highest benefit and therefore will receive the
highest consideration. The purchase of equipment that brings a department into
voluntary compliance with national standards will also receive a high competitive
rating, but it will not be as high as for the training that brings a department into
statutory compliance. Equipment that does not have an effect on statutory
compliance or voluntary compliance with a national standard will receive a lower
competitive rating.
Small boats (13 feet or less, without fixed fire pumps), jet -skis, all -terrain
vehicles (ATVs), and appropriate trailers may be considered under this activity if
properly justified in the narrative section of the application. Other vehicles, as
defined in the Final Rule and published in the Federal Register, are not eligible
under this activity but would be eligible under the Firefighting Vehicle Program.
Eligible expenses include those expenses necessary to acquire equipment,
including communications and monitoring equipment. Compressor systems,
cascade systems, or similar self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) refill
systems are eligible expenditures in this area. Renovations to an existing facility
to accommodate such equipment are allowable if justified in the narrative and if
the renovation is minor as defined in the interim Final Rule and published in the
Federal Register (i.e., limited to minor interior renovations costing less than
$10,000). Traffic signal preemption systems are eligible. Individual
communications equipment (portable radios) and/or mobile communications
equipment (including mobile repeaters) are eligible. Mobile data systems are
eligible. Integrated communications systems such as base stations, computer-
aided dispatch, fixed -site repeaters, wireless and broadband mobile data systems,
etc., are eligible under this activity. The cost of shipping equipment purchased
under this program is also an eligible expense. We will limit funding for portable
radios to the number of seated positions based on the applicant's firefighting
vehicle fleet unless otherwise justified in the narrative.
The purchase of any communications systems and/or equipment under this
activity should have the intent and/or goal of solving your interoperability
problems, as applicable Any applicant seeking funding for equipment herein
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Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
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should provide details in the narrative section of the application regarding their
local plan to enable interoperability for the jurisdiction.
Equipment used in response to CBRNE incidents is also eligible.
Equipment exclusively designed for use in CBRNE incidents that is eligible this
year includes special monitoring equipment (biological, radioactive, etc.) and
CBRNE-related pharmaceuticals for first -responders, such as auto injectors. AFG
program funds cannot be used to supplant other funds for CBRNE preparedness
that are available through other Federal programs.
This year, requests for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) equipment are
eligible in this activity. Eligible expenses for EMS equipment in this activity can
include, but are not limited to, defibrillators, basic and advanced life support
equipment, universal precaution supplies (i.e., one-way masks, latex gloves),
computers, expendable supplies (but not medications), and infectious disease
control and decontamination systems.
Thermal imaging cameras are eligible, but the number of cameras that can
be purchased with grant funds will be based on the size of the population served
by the department applying for assistance. Departments that serve communities
of less than 20,000 people can purchase one thermal imaging camera with grant
funds if awarded a grant; departments serving communities between 20,000 and
50,000 can purchase two cameras with grant funds if awarded a grant; and
departments serving communities of more than 50,000 people can purchase three
cameras with grant funds if awarded a grant.
No grant funds can be used to construct facilities such as buildings, sheds,
or towers to house communications equipment. Telephones and cell phones are
not eligible. Bomb disposal equipment and robots are not eligible. Personal
protective equipment, including clothing for structural and wildland fire
suppression, such as "turnout gear" or "bunker gear" (including boots, pants,
coats, gloves, hoods, goggles, vests, helmets, coveralls, and fire shelters), SCBAs,
spare cylinders, and personal alert safety systems are not eligible under this
activity, however, they are eligible under the Personal Protective Equipment
activity detailed below.
c) Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Acquisition:
DHS may make grants for acquiring PPE required for active firefighting
personnel by OSHA and other PPE for firefighting personnel.
One of the stated purposes of this grant program is to protect the health
and safety of firefighters. To achieve this goal and maximize the benefit to the
firefighting community, we believe that we must fund those applicants needing to
provide PPE to a high percentage of their personnel. Accordingly, we will give
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Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
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the highest competitive rating in this category to fire departments where a large
percentage of their active firefighting staff does not have any PPE. We will also
give a high competitive rating to departments that wish to purchase enough PPE
to equip 100 percent of their active firefighting staff, or 100 percent of their on -
duty staff, as appropriate. We will also give a high competitive rating to
departments that are purchasing the equipment for the fust time as opposed to
departments replacing obsolete or substandard equipment (e.g., equipment that
does not meet current NFPA and OSHA standards), or purchasing equipment for
a new mission. For those departments that are replacing obsolete or substandard
equipment, the condition of the equipment to be replaced will be factored into the
score with a higher priority given to replacing equipment that is damaged, torn,
and/or contaminated.
Due to safety benefits afforded firefighters, for applications that include a
request for personal alert safety system (PASS) devices, we will only consider
funding applications that are requesting equipment that meets current national
standards, i.e., integrated and/or automatic, or automatic -on PASS. Finally, the
number of fire response calls that your department makes in a year will be
considered with the higher priority going to departments with higher call volumes,
while applications from departments with low call volumes will be afforded lower
competitive ratings. The call volume of rural departments will be compared only
to other rural departments, suburban departments will be compared only to other
suburban departments, and urban departments will be compared only to other
urban departments.
Eligible PPE includes clothing for structural and/or wildland fire
suppression, such as "turnout gear" or "bunker gear" (including boots, pants,
coats, gloves, hoods, goggles, vests, helmets, coveralls, and fire shelters), SCBAs,
spare cylinders, and PASS. We will limit funding for SCBAs to the number of
seated positions based on the applicant's firefighting vehicle fleet unless
otherwise justified in the narrative. Each SCBA request will be limited to one
spare cylinder unless adequately justified. Protective clothing for response to
hazardous materials incidents and other specialized incidents is also eligible under
this activity. Protective clothing that is designed for EMS activities or for
response to CBRNE incidents are also eligible in this activity. Eligible PPE for
CBRNE incidents includes SCBAs that have been certified for use in CERN
atmospheres and PPE that is nationally certified for use in CBRNE mcidents. It is
not necessary for every SCBA request to be CERN -certified. We will not fund
CERN -certified SCBA unless such a request is adequately justified in the
narrative and directly related to the State's homeland security plan. Eligible PPE
for EMS activities includes PPE ensembles (coats and trousers) that afford
universal precautions against exposure to infectious diseases, etc.
The purchase of three-quarter length rubber boots is an ineligible
expenditure under this activity since it precludes the effective use of the eligible
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Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
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PPE cited above. Uniforms (formal/parade or station/duty) or uniform items
(hats, badges, etc.) are also ineligible expenditures under this activity. Personal
communications equipment such as radios and pagers are not eligible under this
activity but are eligible under the Equipment activity.
d) Wellness and Fitness Activities:
DHS may make grants for the purpose of establishing or expanding
wellness and fitness initiatives for firefighting personnel.
We believe that to have an effective wellness/fitness program, fire
departments must offer periodic health screenings, entry physical examinations,
and an immunization program. Accordingly, applicants for grants in this category
must currently offer or plan to offer with grant funds all three benefits to receive
consideration and funding for any other initiatives in this activity. After entry-
level physicals, annual physicals, and immunizations, high priority is given to
formal fitness and injury prevention programs. Lower priority is given to stress
management, injury/illness rehabilitation, and employee assistance.
We believe the greatest benefit will be realized by supporting new
wellness and fitness programs, and therefore, we will accord higher competitive
ratings to those applicants lacking wellness/fitness programs over those applicants
that already employ a wellness/fitness program. Finally, since participation is
critical to achieving any benefits from a wellness or fitness program, we will give
higher competitive ratings to departments whose wellness and fitness programs
mandate or provide incentives for participation.
Eligible expenditures in a wellness and fitness activity for firefighting
personnel may include the procurement of medical services to ensure that the
firefighting personnel are physically able to carry out their duties (but the
purchase of medical equipment is not eligible under this category). Eligible
expenditures to carry out wellness and fitness activities may include costs for
personnel, physicals, physical fitness equipment (including shipping), supplies, or
other related contract services (e.g., health-care consultants, trainers, and
nutritionists) directly associated with the implementation of the proposed activity.
Transportation expenses and fitness club memberships for the firefighters
or their families are not eligible under the wellness and fitness activity. Other
expenses that are not eligible in this area include construction of facilities to
house a fitness program, such as exercise or fitness rooms, showers, etc. The
purchase of real estate is also not eligible. Renovations to an existing facility are
allowable if justified in the narrative and if they involve only minor renovations
as defined in the Final Rule and published in the Federal Register (i.e., limited to
minor interior alterations costing less than $10,000). Renovation expenses should
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Department of Homeland Security's Program Guidance for the 2004 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program