Communication Upgrade Info

[jdturner04]

Several months ago I read an articel about a departments (Regional Grant) for upgrades for Communication. They were awarded $750,000. I was thinking it was in Ky or Tenn. Can someone please help me find out were and the article if at all possible. Sorry I didn't supply much information but I do remember reading this somewhere.

Thanks

Jason

[ameryfd]

Here's the thread...

http://forums.firehouse.com/showthread.php?t=65006

[SYFIRE]

We submitted a Regional Grant request for 28 fire departments and 3 non- afilliated EMS agencies for the 2005 AFG. The total grant was for $976,056....to date we have received the 10 questions and also the 1199A attached to a previous grant from our host department. Understandably, we are curiously anxious.

Good Luck to all!!!


Tom

[SYFIRE]

Sorry about that.....it was for communications equipment including mountain top repeaters, mobile radios, hand held radios, pagers plus the software and laptops to program the equipment.

Just to give a few numbers, there are over 550 pagers, 125 mobiles, and approximately 350 handhelds.

Our county is over 110 miles wide and 80 miles long with 28 fire departments dispatched by one agency.

Good Luck to all!!

Tom

[jdturner04]

SYFIRE / Tom.....Could you please email me a copy of you narrative to jdturner04@earthlink.net Thanks for you help....


Jason

[SYFIRE]

I sent you the narrative. Hope it will help you like I REALLY hope it has helped us!!

Good Luck

Tom

[ktb9780]

JD,


The regional applications were specifically designed for these type of applications. If you need help developing a regional for 2006, give me a holler and I can help you guys out. You will need to get starrted now to make it in time. There is a lot of leg work and coordination involved in one of these but, it is well worth the effort.

[Not2L84U2]

You will need to get starrted now to make it in time. There is a lot of leg work and coordination involved in one of these but, it is well worth the effort.

Definitely don't wait until the last minute for a regional project. We got the 10 questions and the 1199A on a regional project for about $650,000 worth of communications equipment. From the time that we had our first regional meeting until the close of the applications was less than 30 days. I physically worked on that grant for almost 20 days in a row. I woke up in the middle of the night dreaming I had to go do something for that grant. That was probably one of the most stressful long term events I have went through. Would definitely recommend getting started now for next year. I plan to start in the next couple of months working for next years regional project. Talked about doing a regional SCBA program. Not sure what else we could do on a regional scale, other than PPE and most departments have newer PPE in this area. Anyone have any ideas?

[jdturner04]

Not2L84U2

Can I get a copy of your grant please?

ktb9780

Thanks for you advise and offer. We meet for the first time Aug 15, 2005 to review what information that I've already gotten for several outstanding people from this Forum......Any time that I've asked for grant info I've also gotten a reply with more information than I was counting on. (That's a good thing )

I've done several grants not only for our department but several others. I have the following grants.....PPE, SCBA Upgrade, Handheld Radio's, FF Wellness and fitness, Wildland, Extrication equipment, and GIS Tech grant.

Anyone needing more info please feel free to yell......

Thanks again

Jason

[Not2L84U2]

Jason,

I will try to get a copy of it mailed to you later this week. I have it saved on my work computer. What is your address?

[Not2L84U2]

Ready to send it, what's your email address?

[RescateDOE]

Dear JDTURNER04

I was reading your Firehouse Forums various posts. I am a Volunteer
Firefighter in The Puerto Rico Special Operations Rescue Squad, a combi
firedept. I'm currently in the process of finding a grant for the
fallowing. PPE for our personel, some ones dosent have the others are very
torn off, Handheld radios for our personel since we only have 1 at the
station, dispatch equipment since we work with SEMA, Police, State Fire
and EMS during emergencies and we are only able to communicate with
them via telephone and implement a Wellness and fitness program. I would
like your help if this can be done. If you can help me for the writting
it.

I can tell you some brief information about my station. It is on
the metropolitan area right in the heart of what we called "Milla de
Oro" its a whole mile full of Buildings (High Rise) the average is 25
stories, 5 Subway Stations 1 Baseball Stadium with a capacity if 13,000, 2
Colisseums with a capacity one of 20,000 the other of 10,000, Major
arterial roads are in our response way as well as 2 airports one
international and one regional and one Petroleum Refiniry just to name a few of
our neighbors. We have in our hands aprox 500,000 people.

We run one light rescue and one heavy rescue wich is suppose to
arrive in october wich was founded by AFG, 2 ladder trucks, 1 decon
trailer, 1 Mobile compressor and 1 ems unit (which needs equipment urgently)
and we are 40 Firefighter Paid and 8 Volunteers. divided in 4, 8 hour
shifts. If you need any additional information please don't hesitate in
contacting me.

All your possible help is extremly usefull and is already being
thanks by our citizens and fellow firefighter in the Squad.

Regards,

Edgardo

[Jimmyhensley]

Jason,

I will try to get a copy of it mailed to you later this week. I have it saved on my work computer. What is your address?

Can I get a copy of the narrative as well? Thanks

hensley@cleveland.cc.nc.us

[Jimmyhensley]

I sent you the narrative. Hope it will help you like I REALLY hope it has helped us!!

Good Luck

Tom

Could I get a copy as well?

Thanks

hensley@cleveland.cc.nc.us

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Don't forget folks that regional apps aren't automatically pushed into Peer Review. So unless you have a reasonable expectation that you're going to be competitive, you might be putting in a lot of work for a slim chance. For instance a county-wide app with 7 fire departments, 1 EMS agency, and 8,000 residents would not be well served by using a narrative as an example from a county such as SYFire's.

That being said, the assessment still needs to be done, and the AFG is not the lone source of funding for this equipment. Jump in with the law enforcement agencies and go after the Homeland Security Grant Program also. Communications equipment is a big item there as well, bigger than AFG, and lots more money too. The program should be coming out shortly, as soon as the fiscal year 2006 begins at the end of this month. Start contacting the state agencies that are responsible for doling out these funds now, don't wait until it's all spent.

- Brian

[BC79er_OLDDELETE]

Edgardo -

I've been through your area a few times, my in-laws live in Rincon on the west coast.

It appears that you are in the city limits of San Juan. Are you an independent agency or are you part of a larger group?

- Brian

[SYFIRE]

Jimmyhensley

Sorry I've been away and didn't notice your request until now. I have sent the narrative to the email address given.

We were funded in the first round for 28 fire and 3 EMS jurisdictions. $973,056 of which $924,000 was FED.

162 mobiles, 598 pagers, 386 handhelds w/ chargers, and additon of 2 new repeater sites as well as upgrading 4 sites. All due to the narrowbanding requirement enacted by the FCC and specifically due to the FEDs going NB as of January 05.

INTEROPERABILITY is the main factor because all the 31 jurisdictions interact with the FEDs in our county. Also the Interagency Dispatch Center is Federal, State and Local which I am certain further enhanced the app.

Don't give up. Everyone is still in the hunt

Best of Luck to All!!!

Tom