"Borkenheartsville" Saloon

[madfirelieutenant]

To all those folks that were unlucky enough to receive a "DJ" this year. Are you paying attention to what certain people, myself included, are saying in here? You need to. Look at what we are telling you; there are several "dynamic aberrations" occurring in the program this year which has caused the number of computer rejection notices to be higher than what we are used to seeing. This is, for the most part, not the fault of the grant writer, the AFG program or the peer panel. It has nothing to do with you being a volunteer or career department.

As a result of the FCC mandate for narrowbanding and the deadline for that to occur by January 2013, there was an avanlanche of very large and also very expensive "regional" type application submitted to AFG this year for Interoperable Communications Grants. Since "regional " type applciations cannot be rejected by the computer and are sent straight to peer panel, it is only logical to assume that if you have a bunch of these type applications that must be reviewed by peer panel, that a large majority of the money that was available is going to be awarded for these projects.That means more applications, must be rejected for this year. Did it mean they were not needy? No! Did it mean they were not well written? No! All it means is that "regional interoperable communications grants", were the trump card this year. There are a lot of my clients who listened to what many of us were telling them about getting their own communication projects done, ahead of the crush that we correctly predicted would occur this year for these type grants. Those same people were also told, and as evidenced by their posts in here, to not be too disappointed becuase they recived a DJ this year on some other type project; they were informed, they had properly prepared and got those radio needs funded earlier instead of waiting to have to fight it out in 2011 with every other department.

From my talks with clients many of you in years past were expecting your cities and local governments to step to the plate with funding for radios to meet a Federally mandated requirement and many would have under normal circumstances but then, the economy unexpectedley tanked terribly. Tax revenue plummetted as property values eroded almost instantaneously around them. Some of the fallout from that "economic recession" are now being exhibited, right here, right now.

So what lessons can be learned here? Stay fully and properly informed and plan accordingly. Plan strategically and if you don't know how to plan strategiacally then get out there and either hire someone who does know or go to a class and learn how to do it.

There are many who post in here and offer our advice at no charge as our contribution to the fire service and contributing to your safety. Nobody forces us or pays us to come in here and freely give these tips and advice. Most of the ones you see posting here like bc79er, Sly, onebugle, not2la84u, catch22,lvfd1 and too many others to list , or acknowledge ( and if I did not mention you please forgive me) have a common trait amongst them. They have all, at one time or another, made the effort to go out and get formally and thoroughly educated about these grant programs. You should not only be listening to what they have to say but, emulating their similar behaviour. Don't sit back and complain about "what the other guy got" or " how flawed the program is". Start seriously wondering what you may be doing wrong and then make a concious and deliberate effort to find out how you can correct what you did wrong. In other words get proactive in your approach instead of reactive.

There are a myriad of reasons that a grant can be rejected and honsetly, most grants get rejected over simple, correctable reasons. There are people in here that can help you figure this out! Learn to use the resources that are made available to you in here if you want to be more informed and likewise more succesful!Seek out this information prior to submitting your grant, not after you have wasted another year and are left holding a rejection notice instead of an award letter.

Thank you for all that you do put on here. It is helpful. While I recieved 3 DJs out of 4 grants, I am happy for all the departments that get awarded. Hopefully 2012 we will get a truck grant. I was a little disappointed this year, I was hopeing for a truck grant. Considering that all 3 of our apparatus is over 35 years old and open cab. But there is always next year. So please keep the advice coming.

[FFChrisK200]

Received a DJ on our apparatus grant, but our ops grant no DJ, and no updated award number on prior 1199. Should I assume that grant made it on to peer review (SCBA, with mid priority based on NFPA standard)

[admpaul]

Well put Kurt. Can you feel your fingers after typing all of that? Do you need another drink because I'll buy it.

[BC79er]

FFChris, yes, made it to Peer with no email yet.

[HuntPA]

I truely do appreciate all of the advice that I have gotten, the people giving, and the lessons taught, but I thought this was a bar, not a hall of philosophy. More drinking . . . .less thinking. There will be enough of that for the next application.

[ktb9780]

I truely do appreciate all of the advice that I have gotten, the people giving, and the lessons taught, but I thought this was a bar, not a hall of philosophy. More drinking . . . .less thinking. There will be enough of that for the next application.

See what happens when I drink to much? Bartende,r another round for everyone!LOL

[morgancity]

Hello to my Reno Friends. It's now going on 3 years with no win for our Department, but that's how it goes. But, I have been successfull for my friends in TN!

Take care all and good luck. Kurt, take care and you hit the nail on the head.

Mark

[WVFD705]

We got a DJ on our vehicle grant (tender/pumper), but I wasn't exactly surprised to see it. It was my first shot at writing an AFG grant. Not much I can do other than request details on why my application did not get passed the computer, try to learn a little more, and get ready to make another run next year.

[islandfire03]

Well said Kurt:
The magic that happens here is amazing. Where else can you find many folks that are willing to share their knowledge, in direct competition with themselves.

[rands1]

Hey Kurt, How is the Nashville clan doing? Any stats from that class yet?

[ktb9780]

Hey Kurt, How is the Nashville clan doing? Any stats from that class yet?

Have not had time to look at that statistic yet Ron. Since the computer DJs hit the phone has not stopped ringing. I'll try to take alook this weekend.

[Catch22]

Well said Kurt:
The magic that happens here is amazing. Where else can you find many folks that are willing to share their knowledge, in direct competition with themselves.

Here here.

[WJVaughn]

Hey Kurt, How is the Nashville clan doing? Any stats from that class yet?

Count me as a scratch

[TSU1]

Deleted!!!!

[WVFD]

Easy there TSU1 - I understand your frustration and so does everyone else on here. This year has been quite different as far as the awards - leaving many of us to wonder - is it worth the time and effort. Bashing on the grant writers to me is not justified -they are doing their jobs. I have been successful in the past without hiring a grant writer - I think mainly because of all the free advise they give here and offering to talk to you for free - despite their busy schedules.

With that said - I will now get off my soapbox and get back to the bar.

[BC79er]

Over half the grants that go in don't use a grant writer. Don't know a breakdown of how many funded versus turned down used grant writers but just check on these forums. A lot of folks have come to Kurt's class or mine in the past, used us to write one grant, saw how it was done and ran with it from there. I still get emails from people that we handled 5 years ago that are still using what they learned. I get emails from people that learned a ton of stuff on here for free.

Toughest thing to learn is that not every grant gets funded, even if it is aiming for the highest priority project with a current 0% compliance and 100% compliance if funded. It's a big pile of folks within half a point of each other, that's why all we can do is make sure it's following the 4 Rights of Grants. Which would be on my web site, kind of our motto. Or make an investment into a book that will help the NFFF: http://www.bradybooks.com/store/prod...sbn=0132830035

Chapter 10, Grant Programs. The author is balding but thinner than he used to be and pretty savvy at grants so I hear...

[EMT6126]

Ok TSU1,We understand that the need for equipment is great in your department, as is in a lot more dept. across the USA. Due to the communication switch over coming next year, their were a lot of regional com. grants that prob. took priority. There is a lot of dept.s saying the same thing you are "WHY". Kurt, Brian, WJvaughn and alot more will try to help out as much as possibe. But to say that you need a grant wrriter to get funded is not true. Hope you have better luck next time.
Jeff

[asemedic]

Hey Kurt,

We used the same format as last year and went DJ on OPS, nothing on regional or vehicle, so count us in the 11,000...

Scott

[xchief23]

xchief, onebugle more or less hit it on the head. The goal is 100% compliance on any grant effort whether training or covering the FFs with safe gear. Same result happens with people that have 20 members and only want to ask for 10 sets of gear to fight over when the call drops. That doesn't solve any issues or meet any NFPA compliance for safety since gear has to be fitted to the wearer. Going after 50% compliance in training and radios is a wish list application anyway, just the kind DHS discourages. Communications could have been done regionally to ensure it made it to Peer, only takes 2 or more eligible applicants to make a region. There's no minimum size, population, or anything to make an app regional, just 2 or more departments. Increases the computer scoring and automagically makes Peer.

I explained why I'm not trying to get 100% to FF 2 in my narrative. On my roster of 23 active members, two are dedicated driver/operators (both in their 60's); four are dedicated fire police officers and not line firefighters, and two (then, more now) are Junior Firefighters who aren't eligible to test until age 18. Also one active member is out on medical issues. The best I could possibly hope for was 57% compliance. I guess I will have to jack my roster around and play word games so that my roster is only the 13 members who are active interior firefighters are on the roster. There is no volunteer fire department in the world that can get 100% of their members to FF 2 and maintain it. Every new member would immediately kill their chances for a year. Unless there is that mythical entity that can require a member to have FF 2 before they can submit an application, and I ain't seeing that happening. I won't even start on how hard it is to get FF 1 certification in this part of the state.

With the narrowband project, my department is in the enviable position that even without the grant, we will be able to be totally narrowband-compliant... barely. We're eliminating mobile radios and a base radio. We'll purchase the portables that we need and hope for the best. Unfortunately, that also eliminates the headset that I asked for to both protect the pump operator's hearing and keep them tied to the engine. We're lucky in that we've been adding to our radio inventory over the years and we aren't nearly as bad off as some departments. There are departments in this area, come January 2013, that will have no radio capability at all.

Regional grants... HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I could see all the fighting in our area with that! "I want Motorola!" "I want Kenwood!" "I want Shinwa!" We can't get two departments to agree to buy gear together, much less cooperate on writing a grant. Example; I'm working on some other funding streams to get a UTV. I sent emails to all the surrounding departments asking for letters of support, just a two-paragraph letter on how much a UTV would help them in wildland suppression and rescue. It would take five minutes to write one and send it. Four months later, I've received exactly ZERO letters. But as soon as I get one, it will be the busiest unit in our department, mutual aid-wise. Oh, everyone wants us to get one, they just don't want to spend five minutes to help us get it.

I was pretty dejected the other day when I got our DJ and posted. I'm still dejected, but it's a little less painful now. Our department will continue to operate, we'll have the necessary equipment to keep our people safe, and I'll continue to work towards getting our people ready for FF 1 testing. Plus I'll play stupid word games with our roster, and hopefully next year I can get a grant. Already looking towards FP & S... I'm going to put this disappointing effort behind me.

[penman]

xchief23 Don't forget the computer DJ does not involve the reading of the narrative. I was hoping to explain some items in the narrative but it never made it that far. Oh well, like our Red Sox, there is always next year.
Ed