"Borkenheartsville" Saloon

[onebugle]

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.

As penman pointed out if the application does not get past the computer no one will be reading the narrative to see the explanation.

As well as not providing a 100% solution to get firefighters trained to the appropriate levels; your application appears to be over reporting the # of firefighters. The AFG is not looking for the # of "active members", but the # of "active firefighters".

The definition of an active firefighter from the Federal Register is:

Active firefighter is a member of a fire department or organization in good standing that is qualified to respond to and extinguish fires or perform other fire department emergency services and has actively participated in such activities during the past year.

IMHO you have between 16-17 "active firefighters" as the fire/police and junior firefighters typically work in support roles and do not meet the definition. The firefighter out on medical would not be counted as well if they have not been active with the department for a year.

[Station 49]

No DJ, no 1199, no emails....still in the game--for now. Does that mean we made it to peer review.

[ktb9780]

No DJ, no 1199, no emails....still in the game--for now. Does that mean we made it to peer review.

Yes sir it does.Keep those fingers crossed.

[Station 49]

That is some good news for a Monday morning, Kurt!

[iavolff]

Have not rec'd 1199A update or DJ yet, but it would seem that our request may have not been the "flavor of the year" for the current year grant - that is the chance you take with every grant applied for as it is very competitive and in a sense "free money". Some FF's disappointed, but believe better to take a chance and apply rather than do nothing at all. We are looking to replace outdated SCBA's as well as get to the minimum number per NFPA Standards. Annual cost per resident over lifetime was less than $.50 annually and cost per incident was less the $50 also - getting ready to take another crack at it for next year.

[MEPOFIRE]

We are in the same boat I think; no 1199A, DJ or any emails in inbox or on the portal mail center. Keeping our fingers crossed that we actually made it to peer review and this is not just a technical sanfu. This is my first go around with writing any kind of grant let alone one this size for my dept- 100+k for SCBAs, cascade and compressor (already have a new fill station)and new boots for smaller volunteer dept.

Glad we started our narrowbanding project on a regional basis a couple years ago to avoid the crush for funding to be compliant before the deadline next year.

On a side note, I really do appreciate the input of the pros and grant process veterans on this board. It has made this process easier for me to understand and help me to know what to expect next. Thanks for your time and efforts here.

[BC79er]

We'll probably see some 1199A movement this week, the denials probably took up all the energy of everyone last week. The re-send with proper subject line was probably enough after the glitch to want to avoid doing something else that may jack the system. I wish they'd do something, been cleaning the office and putting new furniture and organizers together, would rather be sitting on my can and checking apps...

[WJVaughn]

We'll probably see some 1199A movement this week, the denials probably took up all the energy of everyone last week. The re-send with proper subject line was probably enough after the glitch to want to avoid doing something else that may jack the system. I wish they'd do something, been cleaning the office and putting new furniture and organizers together, would rather be sitting on my can and checking apps...

You need to be out running getting your wind back before OCS.

[C573]

Got the DJ for our apparatus grant, still nothing on our radios. Question, I never wrote for a regional grant, however, would it be advisable to do a regional grant for an aerial apparatus for next year? We are presently at 70% FF1 as well as a comprehensive driver/operator program. We provide primary coverage for aerial response for multiple jurisdictions. How does the regional grant work? Would I have to get the jurisdictions that we cover to attest that we are the primary provider or would they also have to contribute towards the matching?

[BC79er]

Can't do vehicles in a regional application. And for grant purposes you provide mutual aid as the primary aerial, primary coverage only refers to your first-due area for all calls/apparatus. Some have gotten their hand smacked in the past over increasing their numbers to cover the first-alarm area for their specialty apparatus to improve their chances of funding. The fact that it's the only aerial around is narrative ammo to help the argument phase of things.

And I've been running Warren, and pushups, situps....good old P90X. Went from 19 pushups without having to take a break up to 37. Only 19 more overall and I'm maxing out on those. Symposium in Austin this weekend is just a paperwork check, and PT test at a where you're at. The one in March is the real one and I'm aiming for the 300 by the time I get there. HHOOOOAAAAAHHH

[onebugle]

Got the DJ for our apparatus grant, still nothing on our radios. Question, I never wrote for a regional grant, however, would it be advisable to do a regional grant for an aerial apparatus for next year? We are presently at 70% FF1 as well as a comprehensive driver/operator program. We provide primary coverage for aerial response for multiple jurisdictions. How does the regional grant work? Would I have to get the jurisdictions that we cover to attest that we are the primary provider or would they also have to contribute towards the matching?

Requesting apparatus as part of a regional grant application is not allowed. The key aspect of a regional grant is that the equipment is disbursed among the departments involved.

From the PG:

In general, equipment purchased as a result of a regional project will be physically distributed to all the departments that are beneficiaries of the project. This physical distribution of the equipment to other first responder organizations is the single characteristic that distinguishes them from projects that are not regional in nature but may have an impact on a region via mutual aid.

For example, a project that would not be considered to have an effect on interoperability (and thus would not be considered a regional project) would be an application for an air compressor or a hazardous materials (Hazmat) response vehicle. In this example, the assets would be shared with neighboring departments under mutual or automatic aid agreements, but they would be physically located in the awardee’s department and not disseminated among the participants.

[WJVaughn]

Things have gotten so quiet this almost fell off the front page.

[LVFD301]

Things have gotten so quiet this almost fell off the front page.

I'm clear, your clear, we are all clear, SHOCKING.....

Lets bring it back to life

[islandfire03]

Hows Victor doing down in Houston?

Still waiting at the bar for any news on our app for this year. Maybe the peer reviewers had a good chuckle when they read my app and felt it needed to be funded. Or maybe they though I was just plumb crazy and are making me wait for the very end to give me the DJ.

[ronmedic]

So I made it through the computer DJ's this year just like I did last year. I am not getting my hopes up at all. Last year I was teased all year only to get my DJ the last week of the 2010 AFG. I have a feeling the same thing is going to happen this year because of all the regional communications grants out there.

I wish they would just make up their minds and drop the ax on those of us who are not getting funded instead of making us wait until they run out of money. They have to know how far the budget will get into the list that made peer review plus a 5 or 10% buffer for those who turn down the grants(why would they do that?) then just send out the DJ's to the poor souls waiting and waiting for the ax to drop or to get funded.

The way this is set up is killing me!!

Plus the priorities of funding are seriously messed up!!!

[olneyfd]

Anyone know how long it takes for them to send out the rejection reasons? We sent in our formal request as soon as it appeared. Just want to see why so it can be changed for next year.

[LVFD301]

Hows Victor doing down in Houston?

Still waiting at the bar for any news on our app for this year. Maybe the peer reviewers had a good chuckle when they read my app and felt it needed to be funded. Or maybe they though I was just plumb crazy and are making me wait for the very end to give me the DJ.

He is just now getting back on the road. He spent most of his time in WI and IA before Christmas, now headed to Ohio at the end of the month. He loves it, but the corporate stuff sometimes wears on him. Not a surprise for someone his age who used to have total control on taking care of the customer.

We already have bid, awarded the bid, and will be picking up our skid unit the 11th of Feb at our winter fire school. Still waiting with fingers crossed on our regional comms grant.

I am planning my trip to pickup blueberries soon though...

[islandfire03]

You'll have to pick frozen berries this time of year. :-}
Snowed yesterday and today is the warmup with rain coming down.
What did you end up getting for the skid unit?

[EMT6126]

Ed,its really quite for the last few days. What do you think is going on?
Jeff

[LVFD301]

You'll have to pick frozen berries this time of year. :-}
Snowed yesterday and today is the warmup with rain coming down.
What did you end up getting for the skid unit?

CET 35. http://www.fire-pump.com/CET35CFMGAS.html

Built out into a nice skid with 200 gallon tank, 1 inch booster, 1 6 foot whip line.