Fire Prevention and Safety. FP&S

[LVFD301]

Ok, time to get ready for the next one.

We did signs one year, and it was (and still is) a HOMERUN!

What are you folks doing for this year? What great ideas are out there?

[CordovaFire]

We tried for signs last year and was turned down. any info you can pass along?

[wischief]

We did signs one year also. They work and look great. Cordova, PM me and I will email you a copy of our narrative.

We also did a robot one year and it is a great hit with not only kids, but adults too. Gets used throughout the year along with fire prevention month. The local stores request it at times.

[wtfd2940]

We have tried for a fire extinguisher trainer a few times and have never been succesfull. Has anyone ever been successfull with this request? I would like to see a narrative of a succesfull attempt to compare to mine. If anyone knows any tips on what they are looking for with these I would like to know. Any help is appreciated.

On another note what does everyone plan on applying for?

RsnFyr77@comcast.net

[HuntPA]

We are planning on doing a sign project. We would like to do this such that there are separate colors for long driveways and on site water supply. Any assistance would be appreciated.

[FIREMAN1557]

We did signs one year also. They work and look great. Cordova, PM me and I will email you a copy of our narrative.

We also did a robot one year and it is a great hit with not only kids, but adults too. Gets used throughout the year along with fire prevention month. The local stores request it at times.

What kind of robot?

[erifsson]

I wrote one about 10 years ago for Robotronic’s Sparky the FireDog robot. Back then the vendors were allowed to give you “templates”. Glad we got it when we did. Between the robot and the Fire Safety Trailer we got grant funding for 6 years ago, we've been able to make a really big impact in our county. Now if I could only figure out how to get the fire extinguisher trainer……….or hazard house…..

[wischief]

It is Freckles the Firedog from Robotronics. We also got a Sparky costume on the same project. Has made a huge impact on our fire prevention program.

[ktb9780]

Folks, they have not been real favorable towards robots and costumes for a couple of years now. Since the advent of "performance oriented grants" these projects have become difficult to properly justify.

Just like fire extinguisher simulators, if you look at the identified "at risk target audiences" that they want you to address in the program guidance ( those under 14 yoa and those over 65 yoa), those two groups typically are NOT the ones that will be using a fire extinguisher.

[WVFD]

If someone would share their sign narrative, I would really appreciate it. Pretty new to the area where I live and address signs are few and far between. My e-mail address is Daverx17@yahoo.com

Thanks in advance for whoever is willing to share.

[chappellld]

Folks, they have not been real favorable towards robots and costumes for a couple of years now. Since the advent of "performance oriented grants" these projects have become difficult to properly justify.

Just like fire extinguisher simulators, if you look at the identified "at risk target audiences" that they want you to address in the program guidance ( those under 14 yoa and those over 65 yoa), those two groups typically are NOT the ones that will be using a fire extinguisher.

What do you think the chances of getting an all inclusive Sprinkler, Weather, Falls Prevention, Bike Safety, Car Seat Safety, Firearms Safety, Kitchen Fire, Electrical Safety, Training Trailer would be?

LD

[ktb9780]

What do you think the chances of getting an all inclusive Sprinkler, Weather, Falls Prevention, Bike Safety, Car Seat Safety, Firearms Safety, Kitchen Fire, Electrical Safety, Training Trailer would be?

LD

I would believe that might be an overly ambitious project and coslty. Not something you would want to do in a year where money is tight, as it is right now. Remember here you will have also have a matching cost between 5-10%; can your budget afford that?. My first question would be to ask you how do you intend to show that you actually have problems with all of the things you listed above?

Given that you will have limited space in which to justify each of these projects I would doubt that you will have sufficent space to present a comprehensive program, which you must do to get awarded funding. I seriously doubt that you could present a comprehensive educational program on each of those topics listed above in a 1 year period of performance.

[womanfirefighter]

I would like to read your guys different ways you put them together and what you are asking for. I am new to the whole grant thing. Second year and still awating to see if we are going to get the grant yet or not. I am going to be putting one in this year for this program and still dont knw what way i want to go yet. Any help would be great

[ktb9780]

BTW for those that did not know FP&S opens April 2 closes April 27. PG has been released and is on their website now
, Get to reading!

[Lump532]

We are planning an address sign project. While installing signs we plan to perform home inspections and install smoke detectors and batteries as needed.

I have a question about matching funds.

Our firefighting operations are carried out by our fire district that has been around for about 25 years. After the district came into existence the old organization became a 501c3 non-profit that supports the district and the community through fundraising and other activities. The organization is mostly made up of our volunteer firefighters but the organization has no firefighting responsibilities. The problem is that the name still has "Volunteer Fire Department" in it.

I'm sure you know where I am going. If our 501c3 group submits the FP&S application will we still be required to supply matching funds?

Also, does anyone has a suggestion on estimating the number of smoke alarms to get? I don't want to run out, but know someone who ordered to many on a FP&S grant and had them for years.

[ktb9780]

We are planning an address sign project. While installing signs we plan to perform home inspections and install smoke detectors and batteries as needed.

I have a question about matching funds.

Our firefighting operations are carried out by our fire district that has been around for about 25 years. After the district came into existence the old organization became a 501c3 non-profit that supports the district and the community through fundraising and other activities. The organization is mostly made up of our volunteer firefighters but the organization has no firefighting responsibilities. The problem is that the name still has "Volunteer Fire Department" in it.

I'm sure you know where I am going. If our 501c3 group submits the FP&S application will we still be required to supply matching funds?

Also, does anyone has a suggestion on estimating the number of smoke alarms to get? I don't want to run out, but know someone who ordered to many on a FP&S grant and had them for years.

Now I may be wrong here but the 2011 FP&S program guidance says:

""Note: There is no cost share for grants under the FP&S Activity or the R&D Activity for eligible national, regional, state, local, or community organizations (other than fire departments as described above).

Grantees representing fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS Organizations must share in the costs of the projects funded under this grant program."

That last sentence there seems to be your answer here.

In regards to the question about how do you know how many smoke detectors to get I would again refer you back to the program guidance document which states under the Vulnerability Statement explanation:

"The methodology for determination of vulnerability should be discussed in-depth in the application narrative."

Now in plain English what that means is that you are going to have to conduct some sort of "survey" among your residents to determine how many do, or do not, have smoke detectors in their homes. In most cases that would mean you would have to physically conduct a survey with at minimum 20% of your residents and then you could multiply that result out X 5 to get a scientific cross section that would accurately reflect the extent of the smoke detector need in your area.

[womanfirefighter]

I needs some good ideas for this grant. All I am reading people doing lots of signs. A few years ago another fire department did smoke alarms and since we are soo small they put up in our town to. This year they are going for CO and if they get it they will do the same. I would love to do something that wouldnt just benfit us but the whole county or something like that. Any help would be great

[ktb9780]

It is difficult for us to tell you what ideas to use when we know very little about where you are or who you are. It sounds to me like you do not have a very good idea of what fire prevention "needs" are in your community at this point so I would look to possibly get some funding to conduct a "formailized risk assessment" to determine the state of your community in terms of fire prevention or risk of fire. This then becomes the tool or guide to tell you what projects you need to go after in FP&S.
I might also add that you need to comprehensivley read this years 2011 FP&S program guidance to see what projects are in fact eligible for funding this year.It is now availabel on the AFG website. Whiel there view the videos they have that explain the program.

If all of this seems to be "greek" to you then you seriously need to consider getting some basic ganat education so that you can properly understand these programs.Myself and bc79er both conduct classes in grant trainining at various FDs thorughout the US. I would highly suggest that you should consider attending one of those classses. My schedule of classes can be found here http://firstrespondergrants.com/frg_classes/class_list

[islandfire03]

I needs some good ideas for this grant. All I am reading people doing lots of signs. A few years ago another fire department did smoke alarms and since we are soo small they put up in our town to. This year they are going for CO and if they get it they will do the same. I would love to do something that wouldnt just benfit us but the whole county or something like that. Any help would be great

Agree with Kurt.
You need to complete a needs assessment to show why you are asking for CO detectors. How many injuries or deaths due to lack of CO detectors have occurred in the last year,5 years. How will you determine that those that need them are identified?
How will you ensure they are installed properly and not just tossed in a drawer?

FP&S is not an easy grant to accomplish without a lot of background leg work

[womanfirefighter]

okay sorry i should have went in to more details..i did alll the assessments and everything been trying to figure out what type a call we get the most of.. and i came up with this.. we have five farmers that we can count on every year at least three fires. It is always because they are burning grass, tree or other yard stuff and it gets out of control.. trying to figure out some good idea that maybe stop some of those fires. sorry should have put that too..