Details from successful 2005 Apparatus Requests

[gotjerseys]

After writing my grant for a engine this year with the help of a grant writer and having several people review it (including past peer reviewer). I had high hopes of success, while all hope is not lost, the light is getting dimmer each day. All who read the narritive thought it was very good, I assume the fault must be elsewhere in the application.

I would like to know several things from those that have recieved 10 questioned that might give insight to potential weakness in my application. Also I am curious to what you are all planning to purchase. I am happy for all of you and not jealous, I am sure it is needed and congratulations.

1. What is the newest vehicle in your fleet?

2. What is the newest vehicle in the catagory you applied for?

3. What is the age and classification of all vehicles in your fleet.

4. How much do you expect to spend on your vehicle? How much were you awarded?

5. Did you plan to overmatch? How much?

6. What is your population and run volume?

7. What do you plan to buy (brand,size,all that good stuff)? Just curious!

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Just for sake of argument, age of newest vehicle is irrelevant, especially if applying for a vehicle of another type. One of my clients has a 2002 pumper, and will be awarded a new tanker, because they don't have one. The 2002 was bought because their one and only truck in the dept was a 20 y/o pumper that was highly unreliable. Pumpers are always needed before tankers, so they wouldn't get dinged for having a new pumper and needing a tanker.

Also, be wary of overmatching. If you have too much money available to put towards the truck, they're going to wonder why you aren't making payments already on the truck.

Vehicles are a 1 in 10 shot, compared with 1 in 3 or 4 for equipment. You have to have the perfect conditions to be in line for an award. Of the 3 tankers I worked with this year that are coming in this now massive first round, 1 had no tanker ever, the other two had to take them out of service last year. Both over 30 years old, and over 200K miles. Pumpers are tricky, but you are on the right track in asking for answers to the rest of those questions. 6,000 more hours of that and you'll catch up to some of us in time spent researching. :0 Personally, I suggest hanging out here a bit, it won't take as much time to figure everything out.

Good luck and happy hunting. Email away if you need anything else, the Inbox is always open.

- Brian

[Wolf8552]

Hope this helps, we applied for a tender and receive the "10 Questions" in late July:

1) Our Newest Vehicle: 2004 Type 2 Pumper/Engine
2) Newest vehicle in the category we applied in: 1988 Type 2 Tender
3) Age and classification of all vehicles:

Pumpers
1976
2004
1987
1988
2003
1968
1981
Average Age - 18

Tenders
1988
1988
1978
1983
Average Age - 21

Brush/Wildland/Rescue
1982
1987
1982
1980
1982
2002
2002
Average Age - 17

Other
1982
1979
1996
1995
1990
1992
1998
Average Age - 15

Average Age of All Vehicles - 17.28 years

4) How much do we expect to spend - $200,000.00
How much will we be awarded? - I'm hoping $190,000 Fed $ to our $10,000.

5) We did not plan to overmatch for 2 reasons: 1 - I did not know that was an option in the grant application and 2 - We've spent a great deal of $ on pumpers and brush/wildland/rescues in recent years. We are low on cash for overmatching.

6) Population 10,000 - Run Volume 500 calls a year + or -

7) What we will buy - 3000 gallon tender, 500 gpm pto pump, 400hp CAT motor, Allison automatic transmission. We are not comitted to buying a specific brand - just the best vehicle within our budget.

Again, I hope this is what you are looking for. Let me know if you need more information.

Chris

[gotjerseys]

Thanks for the reply. I got to thinking that maybe you needed a fleet that was all pre-1990 to get the highest points. We did offer to overmatch to show our dedication to the project, 48K would be every cent we have. I thought our financial need was high. Certainly without the assistance replacement is not around the corner.

Our pumper is 30 years old with only 20K miles but the tank is rusting out,drafting problems and all the same problems everyone elses 30 year old and older engine has. Waiting patiently like most everyone else!

My answers to my own questions.

1. What is the newest vehicle in your fleet? 2000

2. What is the newest vehicle in the catagory you applied for? 1975

3. What is the age and classification of all vehicles in your fleet.
Engine 1975
Tanker/Engine 1995
Tanker 1978
Tanker 2000
Brush 2000
Ambulance 1992

4. How much do you expect to spend on your vehicle? How much were you awarded? We estimated cost at $283K

5. Did you plan to overmatch? How much? $48K

6. What is your population and run volume? 3300 residents and 260 Fire & EMS

7. What do you plan to buy (brand,size,all that good stuff)? Just curious!

Custom cab with 1250 pump and 1250 tank, generator, lighting and maybe CAFS.

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

gotjerseys - just so you know if you included those truck specs in your application, technically you didn't apply for a pumper, you applied for a tanker. In the PG and Powerpoint slides it stated that anything with 1,250 gallons of water and larger was a tanker by DHS classification, regardless of pump size. The same classification applies for current equipment, so if that 95 pumper/tanker has less than 1,250 gallon tank, then it's a pumper. If it has more, then it's a tanker, and that would mean you have 3 tankers (95, 78, 2000) and are applying for a 4th by virtue of the 1,250 tank in the proposal.

Now, are you down and out? No, I'll be the first to say it's not over until it's over. But to play Devil's advocate (which you have to do to really be objective and put out your best application in these things), given that you have a 1995 and 2000 tanker while still operating the 78 (meaning it's still roadworthy and safe) depending on what info was in your application that you included here, the reviewers might take a look as you bought the wrong truck in one of those years if the 78 pumper is really that bad.

Again, not saying it happened, but as I've said over and over in the forums and my articles, these awards come down to fractions of a point sometimes, so we have to put forward the most competitive application possible. All we know at this point is you're not in the first round, which is no big deal with only 1800 or so out of the 5400 awardees being pre-notified right now. So don't lose hope, all is not lost.

For future reference, specify minimums, not absolutes, especially in vehicle applications. So if you put a minimum of 1,000 gallons tank, that means it's still a pumper by their rules, but does not mean that when you buy it you can't move up to the 1,250 if you get a good deal on one. They will never say no if you tell them you can get more for less.

Again, not criticizing by any means, just trying to throw in some pointers learned along the way and be my usual helpful self.

Keep use posted with status and throw out more questions if you have them. If you want to keep them offline, just email them over.

- Brian

[gotjerseys]

BC 76--Thanks for the info, I did not give any tank gallonage info in the app, I tried to stay away from that issue. I specified minimum pump size and other safety features. I was aware of the tank size issue from watching this forum.

I referenced the 1250 tank, because if we are not awarded we will go for more H20. Our tanker/engine is in excess of the 1200 gallon DHS limit.

Thanks again,
Bruce

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Without the tank size in the app it won't get lumped in with the others. Good choice my friend.

Of course on another note, with CAFS your water effectiveness goes up 5-10x as y'all get used to using it, so you don't need as big of a tank on board. We're down to around 100 gallons of water on fully involved vehicles, 133 on the last one with a hole in the gas tank. Powerful stuff.