Warning shot from feds on AFG grant process for fire station expansion

[hoserbt]

Looks like all the details aren't in yet but at least they are working towards it. For info only, good luck.

Type: Federal
Agency: U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Office: Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA)
CFDA: 97.044
Multipart Grant: No
App Due: Unknown
Solicitation Date: Unknown
Relevance: 1
Match Required: Yes
Actual Funds: $210,000,000 (Confirmed)
The purpose of this program is to provide direct funding to local fire departments and nonaffiliated
emergency medical services organizations to help acquire needed equipment and services. This special solicitation, funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, has been established to assist fire epartments in the modification, upgrading, and construction of nonfederal fire stations.
Program information detailed above and throughout this module is prepared from a preliminary program announcement and should be used for reference purposes only. eCivis Grants Network will be updated with additional information upon the availability of the full program announcement
eCivis Alert: This program has received funding through the economic stimulus bill formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Save this funding opportunity now by clicking the tan "Save" or "Save/Assign" button at the top of this page to be alerted by email about any changes or new information. The program staff has stated that this program is still under development by the funding agency. It is not currently known when the funding agency will release the full program solicitation.
The program staff verified the preliminary financial information.

97.044, AFF, AFGP, DHS, FEMA, USFA, ODP, CBRNE, EMT, EMS, SCBA, FD, ARFFV, NIMS, HSPD, FIRE Act Grant,
fire protection, FIRE Grant, FIRE Grant Program, Fire/EMS, homeland security, domestic preparedness, fire
administration, firehouse, construction remodeling, upgrading, hazardous material, medical response, city fire
department, county fire department, rural fire department, disaster preparedness, first responder, rescue,
command, fire station rehabilitation, fire station retrofit, facility modification, facility upgrade, station upgrade,
safety feature, fire station renovation, retrofit, station alteration, ARRA, Recovery Act, stimulus, recovery,
recession, economy, economic, Obama, Pelosi, Congress
Match Notes:
Funding Notes:
Match Required: Yes
Match Type: Unknown
Actual Funds: $210,000,000 (Confirmed)
Range Max:
$210,000,000
Award Range Max:
$15,000,000
There are no stated matching fund requirements for this program at this time. This information may change when
full program details are released.
A confirmed $210 million has been allocated for this program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act. This program will award grants ranging up to $15 million.
The program staff confirmed the preliminary financial information.
The anticipated application due date, application submission information, and application requirements for this program have not
been announced. eCivis Grants Network will be updated when this information becomes available.
eCivis Grant Detail
Provided for: Andrea Bumpurs of RACINE COUNTY 03/24/2009
Grant Title: Recovery Act: Assistance to Firefighters Program: Fire Station Construction
FY
2009 Grant #: US8143
Summary
Financial
Page 1 of 2
http://gn.ecivis.com/GO/r_grantDetai...D49D5D79CFAAC6...
3/24/2009
Contact:
Program Staff
(866) 2740960
firegrants@dhs.gov
Mailing Address:
U.S. Department of Homeland Security/FEMA
Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
800 K Street, NW
Washington, DC 204723620
Contact Notes:
Questions regarding this program may be directed
to the program staff.
The application submission information has not been
released at this time. eCivis Grants Network will be
updated when this information becomes available.
The indicated mailing address is provided for
reference purposes only.
Downloadable PreAward
Files:
NOFA File: US8143_ARRAFunds_FY2009.pdf
File Notes: The ARRAFunds file contains a copy of
the federal legislation authorizing this program.

[BlandfordFire]

Is this a separate entity of AFG or a total different grant application?

[hoserbt]

i beleive it a seperate funding source, as it doesn't come from AFG money. It will simply use the afg program to administer the application and award procedures.

[volfireman034]

Any word on when this will start? We need a new station bad.

[hoserbt]

I heard from the state of WI grant person that it is expected to start this summer, again no firm betails yet, all speculation.

[DFDCar1]

$210M, divided by $15.0M maximum, is only 14 fire stations; or 0.28 fire stations per state. Granted, you can build a fire station for a whole lot less than $15M, but even at a very modest butler-type building with minimal accessory spaces (meeting/training room), etc. where the costs are held to $2M, that's only 105 fire stations nationally... One thing that I hope becomes REQUIRED is that the station meet the NFPA standards for sprinklers, exhaust systems, "clean" area, decon area, etc. There is no sense at all of squandering this money building big garages to store fire apparatus in. Doing so, will only help to KEEP those so unfortunate to not have a complient station without one for at least another 40 or more years....

We, too, need a new station, as were are in an undersized, deteriorating building with a ramp that's not big enough to pull a rig outside without it being in the state highway, which was built in 1946. I plan of applying when the time comes, but I've already told my members to be optimistic, but NOT dependent!

[hoserbt]

We are currently undergoing an expansion and 300000 would all we need. I also was told that a major goal of this money is to encourage expansions to create facilities that offer male and female amenities, ie bathrooms and bedrooms.

[neiowa]

$210M, divided by $15.0M maximum, is only 14 fire stations; or 0.28 fire stations per state. Granted, you can build a fire station for a whole lot less than $15M, but even at a very modest butler-type building with minimal accessory spaces (meeting/training room), etc. where the costs are held to $2M, that's only 105 fire stations nationally... One thing that I hope becomes REQUIRED is that the station meet the NFPA standards for sprinklers, exhaust systems, "clean" area, decon area, etc. There is no sense at all of squandering this money building big garages to store fire apparatus in. Doing so, will only help to KEEP those so unfortunate to not have a complient station without one for at least another 40 or more years....

We, too, need a new station, as were are in an undersized, deteriorating building with a ramp that's not big enough to pull a rig outside without it being in the state highway, which was built in 1946. I plan of applying when the time comes, but I've already told my members to be optimistic, but NOT dependent!

What tax bracket do you NE types live in? $2 MILLION for a station? You gold plate the bathroom fixtures? Quit reading the loony Fire Chief magazine awards for station. They are on drugs.

How about 1st priority to FD that are working out of dirt/gravel floor bays, 40+yr old stations with 10' doors and 30' bays. No heat. etc They are out there.

How about a max of $500000 budget?

[mcunning]

I would take $100,000. NFPA is nice if you can afford it and afford to upkeep it. A nice simple building to keep the trucks from becoming big ice cubes in the winter and with enough room so that you dont almost get run over when the truck pulls out would be good enough for us.

[hoserbt]

We have to make sure that those departments are aware of the program and are going to apply. I agree that there are departments our there that need lots of help but they have to make the effort to apply and I have to believe that the reviewers would feel their pain.

[islandfire03]

I know of two nearby towns that have built new NFPA compliant stations. Both were completed in the last two years and replaced buildings from the 40's that didn't have any room or comfort amenities, and zero safety equipment such as sprinklers or exhaust systems. One of these is top shelf taj majhal quality and the other is extremely nice with room to grow. The career dept. with the nice station cost around 11 million and the other which is a combination dept. with large growth in business & residences cost were in the 15 million range.
We "poor" Islanders built a new second station 8 years ago which is just a 48x36 foot 2 bay heated garage without bathroom facilities or any amenities spent about 150k for the basic heated building. It replaced a building from the 40's that was as others have said ,small cramped and when the front bumper cleared the door it was over the white line on the main road. It also would not fit anything more modern than our 1956 F850 top job pumper. We were extremely pleased to be able to get what we built as it is a 100% improvement over the old station.

DFD You raised the exact thoughts that were on my mind. 210 million isn't going to go very far if they require all the bells & whistles in new construction.

[LVFD301]

We built our second station for about 40K. 4 bays, one of which is
drive through.

50 feet by 70 feet.

Training/lounge room, utility room, two bathrooms (For when we get water)
a board room (6X8) and a Chiefs office.

The steel for the building, insulation, and delivery was about 20K, 10k for
concrete, 10K for interior work and doors. We ended up paying 5k for the
steel work to be done - volunteer for the rest of it.

I took an old heating unit out of one of our tower sites and that is enough heat to keep the freezing weather at bay.

All I want is 20K for a well and septic, and 30K for concrete ramp and driveway. I can replace the heater in that budget also.

You don't even want to hear how we came up with the 40k, I feel so cheap.....

One of our neighboring departments uses wood heat, and one of their two
bays has a dirt floor.

I suspect neither project will be quite glamorous enough to qualify for some of this money.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

It will require NFPA 1500 compliance so exhaust and of course sprinklers. Don't think monitored alarm system is in there.

Last 2 stations built in the old department were 8 bay drive throughs with two bunks rooms, M&W bathrooms with showers, equipment room, electrical room, storage for fire & EMS lockup, training room, 4 offices, full kitchen, dispatch office, and TV/day room. Cost for brick all-around the place was $1.4mil for the one in 2005, $1.7mil for the one in 2007. Both around 30,000sq ft, full ADA. Only thing not in either was exhaust. I can't see a reviewer with any reason giving $10mil out for a station.

[BlandfordFire]

The building we are looking at, I would consider a palace. 2.5 to 3 million. Completely decked out. If your gonna build it, make sure when the thing is payed off, that it still serves the needs of the community.

[LVFD301]

I guess if I ask for sprinklers I would have to ask for a well.... And a genset for backup power for the well.

[MIDWESTCHIEF]

I guess if I ask for sprinklers I would have to ask for a well.... And a genset for backup power for the well.

If we asked for these items we would have water to fill trucks faster (10-15 minutes to fill 1000gal currently) and a generator for backup power to open doors or at least keep heat on in the winter.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Jeez Blake, you want running water in the station? This is about needs not wants. You always were greedy...

[DFDCar1]

What tax bracket do you NE types live in? $2 MILLION for a station? You gold plate the bathroom fixtures? Quit reading the loony Fire Chief magazine awards for station. They are on drugs.

How about 1st priority to FD that are working out of dirt/gravel floor bays, 40+yr old stations with 10' doors and 30' bays. No heat. etc They are out there.

How about a max of $500000 budget?

Sorry, Iowa, but a typical non-residential construction project, here in upstate NY, can easily reach your $500,000 just in site-work and utilities. I was as flabergasted at the Fed ceiling of $15M as you seemed with my suggestion that it be capped at 14% of the Fed cap, or the $2M that I suggested. I can show you any number of very modest fire station projects in upstate NY which couldn't have been finished for the $2M that I suggested.

We also have a State Law that goes back into the 1930's, which we just can't get repealed, which requires that municipal (or gov't funded) construction projects be broken into three prime contractors - General, plumbing/HVAC, and Electrical. This raises our costs, as the owner has to be (or hire) a Clerk of the Works to coordinate the three primary trades.

Finally, we have a law that requires that municipal contracts receive "prevailing wage", which means that even if the contractors winning the low bid isn't a union contractor, then the employees still have to be paid at union scale, thus "equalizing" the costs and making it "fair" for union contractors....

In retrospect, it'll be harder for NYS departments to get a viable or lower benefit / cost than some other locations, but the costs that we present will be real costs that we will face.

[chief14oc]

The last information I heard was that they expect to award approx. 100 projects, and run the program in concert with SAFER.

[islandfire03]

The last information I heard was that they expect to award approx. 100 projects, and run the program in concert with SAFER.

I noticed that in the AFG slideshow they mentioned SAFER @ $210 million.
Wonder if this station money is in addition to,or replacing SAFER funding.