Funding and Grants News

Level Funding is a Budget Win

Ed Ballam Firehouse.com News

Everyone knows the economy is bad and because of that fact, the fire service is suffering.
Lt. James Kirsch of the Bergenfield (N.J.) Fire Department said there's no panacea, or magic bullets that will miraculously make fire department's economic woes disappear.

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Financial Hard Times Means Layoffs for Firefighters

By Ed Ballam, Firehouse.com News
Web Exclusive included with this article

Editor's Note: An abbreviated version of this article appears in the February 2010 issue of Firehouse Magazine, starting on page 60. Also read "Telling it Like it Is - Doing less with less. When will we learn?" and respond with your thoughts and concerns.

If there's any silver lining in the staffing crisis the fire service is facing currently, it's the fact that the federal government is preparing to open the spigot on $420 million in federal grants aimed at getting firefighters back to work.

PDF Attachment:

IAFF Staffing Survey Report

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Conn. Chief Misuses Funds, Quits

Story by wfsb.com

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NORWICH, Conn.

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New Orleans Bonfire Cancelled

Story by wdsu.com

NEW ORLEANS

The traditional New Year's Eve bonfire in Mid-City won't happen this year because organizers were not able to raise enough money for permits, they said Monday.

Organizer Mary Hogan said the community couldn't get the $10,000 necessary to secure permits from the police and fire departments for the event.

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Ind. Dept. Faces Closure: Budget Cuts

Story by

theindychannel.com

FRANKTON, Ind.

A funding shortage could cost the town of Frankton its fire department.

The Frankton Volunteer Fire Department requested an $8,000 increase for its 2010 budget, bringing the department's funding to $30,000 a year,

6News' Jennifer Carmack reported.

But the town council offered a $1,000 increase instead.

Fire Chief Rob Amick and the department's 25 firefighters turned down the contract Monday night, and threatened to pull out of the town if their request for more money is not met.

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Donation Keeps Ind. Dept. Open

Story by

theindychannel.com

KNIGHTSTOWN, Ind.

A private donor who made a large gift to a volunteer fire department so that it could stay open flew in Sunday to meet thankful firefighters and an appreciative community.

The Knightstown Volunteer Fire Department found itself in an untenable situation. The company that manufactured and serviced their self-contained breathing apparatuses went out of business.

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House Passes Grant Reauthorization

The measure now moves on to the Senate.

BY SUSAN NICOL KYLE and PAUL PELUSO

Firehouse.com News

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today the House passed a measure reauthorizing the FIRE Act grant programs.

The bill sets aside $1B for AFG and $1.2M for SAFER annually through 2014.

The legislation, which passed by a 395-31 vote, includes the establishment of a survey to determine if departments are adhering to safety practices; OKs funds for river rescue operations; and authorizes grant money to be spent for equipment that conserves water.

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Cost Sharing Requirement Waived in SAFER Grant

Application period opens Nov. 16 and closes at 5 p.m. EST on Dec. 18.

By Ed Ballam and

Firehouse.com News

Communities applying for federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants will not have any out of pocket or cost share expenses this year, the Department of Homeland Security announced today.

The guidelines for the 2010 Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) annual SAFER grant program were released today and the application period will run from Nov. 16 to 5 p.m.

PDF Attachment:

2009 SAFER Guidance Document

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SAFER Application Period Announced

Firehouse.com News

The application period for the FY2009 SAFER Grants will open on Nov. 16 at 8 p.m. (EST) and close on Dec. 18 at 5 p.m. (EST), according to a FEMA press release.

The program guidance document will soon be posted on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Web site.

This year's SAFER program has approximately $210 million available for grants.

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Chiefs Call for Creativity in Funding

By Ed Ballam -

Firehouse.com

ATLANTA, Ga. -- It would be a safe bet that there's no fire department or EMS provider in the nation that would say it has plenty of funding and doesn't need another penny.

It would also be safe to say many of same emergency services providers have no clue how to improve their financial status.

Two gentlemen from the Chesterfield County (Va.) Fire and EMS Department were on hand Wednesday at Firehouse Central and EMS Expo in Atlanta to give attendees some information on alternative funding opportunities for emergency service organizations.