E-Update: March 18, 2008
March 18, 2008
Welcome to the Fire Corps E-Update. Fire Corps is a locally-driven Citizen Corps program that allows community members to offer their time and talents to their local fire and EMS departments in non-operational roles. Fire Corps serves as a gateway to information for and about fire and EMS department programs and meets a citizen's desire to serve as well as a department's need for support. In this issue:
Application Period Now Open for FY 2008 Assistance to Firefighters GrantsThe Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Grant Programs Directorate is now accepting applications for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG). Applications must be received by April 4 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The grants will be distributed in phases throughout FY 2008 and will ultimately award approximately $500 million. Fire Corps members can take this opportunity to help their department and program secure additional funds and expand their activities by writing the department’s AFG application. With Fire Corps members assisting in the grant-writing process, the department’s first responders can remain on the front lines and focus on emergency situations. Fire Corps volunteers should work with the department chief and other leaders to identify funding needs that may be met through an AFG award. To help with the grant-writing process, the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has created an online AFG and SAFER Grant Narrative Resource Center with copies of narratives from past successful grant applications. These narratives are extremely useful examples for departments that have significant need but have had trouble expressing it in past applications. Applicants are reminded to use the posted narratives as a reference only and not plagiarize from them. In addition to the model narratives, the NVFC has posted a grant-writing guide created by DHS. Access the FY 2008 AFG application through the AFG web site at www.firegrantsupport.com, the U.S. Fire Administration's web site at www.usfa.fema.gov, and the Grants.gov web site at www.grants.gov. The AFG web site contains important information about the program, including the FY 2008 funding priorities and program guidance, a web-based tutorial on the application process, a listing of frequently asked questions, and other materials. Questions regarding this grant opportunity can be addressed to the Help Desk at 1-866-274-0960 or emailed to firegrants@dhs.gov. During the application period, Help Desk hours will be from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EDT. Eligible applicants for the FY 2008 AFG are limited to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical service (EMS) organizations operating within the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. Interested applicants may submit two separate applications for consideration under each of the following two program areas:
The FY 2008 AFG will also allow eligible applicants to submit an additional application for a regional project through which multiple organizations, serving more than one local jurisdiction, may benefit directly from the activities implemented with the grant funds. Visit Fire Corps at the CFSI Showcase on the Mall, Washington, DC, April 2On April 2 starting at 9:00 a.m., the National Mall in Washington, DC, will be transformed into a fire and emergency services showcase. This unique event, hosted by the Congressional Fire Services Institute and sponsored by the International Fire Service Training Association, will capture the training, technology, public education, and prevention components departments need when responding to the 20 million calls for help the public makes each year. If you are attending the Showcase, be sure to stop by the Fire Corps display to learn how the program can benefit your department. Fire Corps utilizes the skills and talents of local residents to help their department with non-emergency tasks such as fire prevention education, grant writing, station maintenance, administrative assistance, and more. This allows first responders to focus on emergency situations and training so they can better respond to calls. Visit the Fire Corps booth to see how you can connect to your community. The Showcase on the Mall is designed to educate Congress, the Administration, and the general public about the many roles of our nation’s firefighters and the importance of federal support to ensure that all first responders have what they need to perform their life-saving missions. Learn more about the CFSI Showcase on the Mall. Recognize Your Volunteers During National Volunteer Week: April 27 - May 3National Volunteer Week starts April 27, providing an excellent opportunity to recognize the work of millions of volunteers nationwide and promote the spirit of volunteerism among the general public. Use this time to recognize your Fire Corps members and let them know how valuable they are to your organization. It is also a great time to reach out to your community to recruit new Fire Corps members to support your department. National Volunteer Week was created in 1974 when President Richard Nixon signed an executive order to establish the week as an annual celebration of volunteering. Every year since, each U.S. President, along with many governors, mayors, and other elected officials, has signed a proclamation promoting National Volunteer Week. The Points of Light & Hands On Network offers a National Volunteer Week Toolkit with planning materials, sample media releases, and more, available online at www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/. Recognize the hard work and commitment of your volunteers by highlighting them on the Fire Corps web site. Simply fill out the Fire Corps Profile Information Sheet and email, along with photos and captions, to info@firecorps.org. Consider nominating your Fire Corps members for the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Fire Corps is a Certifying Organization for this national honor. To nominate your volunteers and nationally recognize their contributions, send an email with subject line “PVSA” to info@firecorps.org. The email must include the nominee’s contact information, a detailed description of his or her service, and the number of hours volunteered. Learn more about the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Visit Fire Corps at FDIC, April 7-12Are you planning on attending the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, IN, April 7-12? If so, visit Fire Corps at the NVFC booth (#91). This year, the NVFC and Fire Corps are teaming up to provide both booths in one location. Stop by Booth #91 to learn how you can increase your department's capacity and form stronger connections with your community through Fire Corps. While at the booth, take advantage of free health screenings, cooking demonstrations, and information about the NVFC’s innovative programs, including the Heart-Healthy Firefighter Program and the National Junior Firefighter Program. The NVFC is now accepting applications for the National Junior Firefighter Scholarship and Grant Program, sponsored by the Dunkin’ Brands Community Foundation. Ten $5,000 scholarships will be awarded to outstanding junior firefighters and ten $5,000 grants will be given to the corresponding departments. Learn more at Booth #91, through the brochure in your FDIC registration bag, and online at www.nvfc.org/juniors. DC's Friendship Fire Association Seeks Volunteers to Support First RespondersThe volunteer branch of the Washington, DC Fire & EMS Department is looking for community members who are interested in providing occasional assistance to first responders during field emergency service. The volunteers, known as the Friendship Fire Association (FFA), staff the fire department's Canteen Unit, Rehab Unit, and the DC Fire & EMS Museum. The Canteen Unit and/or the Rehab Unit respond to all multi-alarm fires and major public safety emergency events in the Nation's Capital, providing refreshments and medical rehabilitation services for firefighters and other emergency personnel. Museum personnel give guided tours and staff the department's 4,000-square-foot display on the top floor of a historic firehouse on Capitol Hill. If you have an interest in the fire/rescue service and have an average of four hours a week of your time to donate, FFA is looking for a few new members who live primarily inside the Capital Beltway surrounding Washington, DC. For information, contact FFA President Walter Gold at 202-439-1936, or write to Secretary Michael DeWalt, FFA, c/o Engine Co. 3, 439 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001. For more information about FFA, visit www.friendshipfire.org. Calendar of EventsBelow is a list of events that Fire Corps staff will be attending, as well as nationally recognized dates which Fire Corps would like to acknowledge. Vermont State Firefighters Association Educational Seminar CFSI Showcase on the Mall Fire Department Instructor’s Conference (FDIC) National Volunteer Week Prevention, Advocacy, Resources and Data Exchange (PARADE) Co-Chairs Meeting Firehouse Expo Fire Rescue International (FRI) To be removed from this list please enter your email on the unsubscribe page. 
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