Hayfield VFD
The Hayfield Volunteer Fire Department has 27 active
volunteers and covers around 5000 people in a 150 square mile area in southern
*The project that you are requesting to be funded.
The Hayfield Volunteer Fire Department respectfully requests Federal funding under the “Fire Operations and Firefighter Safety Program” to purchase a direct drive centrifugal fire pump, a thermal imaging camera, and a set of rescue tools. The total cost of this proposed project is $38,275.00. The Hayfield Volunteer Fire Departments 10% share would be $3,827.50, making the Federal share $34,447.50.
*How you plan to
use the grant funds for each major budget activity as listed on the budget
form.
The requested funding from the “Fire Operations and
Firefighter Safety Program” would be used to purchase the following FireFighting equipment:
Budget
activity # 1) One (1)
NFPA 1142 annex “E” recommended Waterous centrifugal pump for use on one
of our tankers.
Waterous pump model PB13-2525c--------- $2900.00
Electric
start--------------------------------------
$ 275.00
The centrifugal pump will be mounted on one of our
water tankers for use in filling brush rigs where the accessibility and
reliability of water supplies are limited.
It can also used for supplying firefighting hoselines, relaying water
from one source to another, and for performing pump-and-roll operations. There are many situations where a fire
department pumper cannot get to a source of water and there is a considerable
distance between the source and the actual fire scene. These kinds of pumps have proven to be very
effective in shuttling the necessary water for these kinds of situations.
Budget activity # 2)
One (1) Scott
Eagle II thermal imaging camera with remote view.
Thermal Imaging Camera w/remote
view---------- $17900.00
A
thermal-imaging camera will allow our firefighters to see through cumbersome
smoke filled environments, dramatically cutting search and rescue efforts. At this time we do not have and only 1 fire
department in our immediate area a thermal imaging camera. During a mutual aid/RIT call, a thermal
imaging camera would provide our firefighters the ability to see through smoky
or dark environments. The remote view will keep IC informed on all on going
rescue or firefighting operations. Within our community a Nursing home and
grade school are located at the edge of town near open fields. A thermal imaging camera can also be used to
locate children or a vulnerable adult who has wandered from their place of
safety.
Budget activity # 3)
One (1) set of NFPA 1936 compliant TNT rescue tools
to replace our present 18-year-old Hurst tools.
2 personnel power packs
--------------------- $6390.00
1 cutter
----------------------------------------- $3250.00
1spreader
-------------------------------------- $4995.00
1 ram
------------------------------------------- $1495.00
2 – 30’ hoses
---------------------------------- $1070.00
Total cost -------------------------------------- $17200.00
The extrication tools we are planning on purchasing
have portable power plants to enable our firefighters to bring them to the
location they are needed and the tools themselves are lighter for easier use. Our present power plant is hard mounted and
the tools themselves are very heavy compared to today’s standards. Our fire
department purchased our present extrication tools in 1985 and was one the
first in our area to put them into service.
They are kept on our rescue truck and are hard mounted in one of the
compartments. They have provided
excellent service over the past 18 years, but no longer meet NFPA 1936
standards.
*Why this
program would be beneficial to your community and/or to your department.
Our firefighter safety task force has
prioritized and recommended that these 3 pieces of equipment are essential
items for our fire department to pursue at this time. These pieces of equipment will protect both
ourselves and the communities to which we provide service.
1) During
a wildland fire, a portable pump on one of our tankers will allow us to
overcome many of the problems of supplying water to our firefighters. There are
many situations where our fire department pumper cannot get its water to the
source of the fire or to the firefighting rigs or there maybe a considerable
distance between them. A portable pump
can will be used to more quickly and effectively refill grass rigs, with a
direct connection from the tanker to the booster tanks. It can also supply a couple of firefighting
hoselines, relay water from a variety of sources, and be used for pump-and-roll
operations.
2) At
present only 1 fire department in the immediate area has a (TIC) thermal-imaging camera. A TIC will be used to
locate through smoky or dark environments both trapped and injured victims at
the fire scene. A TIC will also be used
to find hot spots during the initial fire knock down and mop up. A TIC is a
very essential piece of equipment when out fitting a RIT team. It would allow
our firefighters to see through smoke filled environments, dramatically cutting
search and rescue operations. If a small
child or vulnerable adult were to wander off from their place of safety, or
during a car accident become ejected from the vehicle, a TIC would enhance our
search and rescue efforts. Minimizing any time delays and improves victim
survival.
3) Our
present extrication tools are 18-years-old and no longer meet NFPA 1936
standards. With the upgrading to portable extrication tools instead of the
present hard mounted system, we will have more flexibility at the accident
scene. If a car or trapped victim is more that 30’ from our rescue vehicle, we
cannot use our present system for rescue operations. Also with 2 power packs we can operate 2
different tools at the same time and reduce the time of rescue. Staying within the “Golden Hour” and
increasing patient survival.
*Why this
project cannot be funded solely through local funding.
The median income for a 4-person family in our fire protection area is 30% below the statewide mark. These figures are from year 2000 US Census Bureau published data. 7% of our total population and 9% of our children are at or below the poverty level. We simply cannot levy any more of an increase then we have now. Over the last two years of the Fire Act, our department had requested funding for the purchase of a new pumper to replace a 30-year-old pumper, which was no longer, a reliable firefighting vehicle. We were unfortunately unsuccessful in acquiring this funding. Through a reorganization of our subscription fees, which provided an increase to our annual budget, we were able to purchase a new pumper. The Hayfield Volunteer Fire Department has a very limited annual budget of $32,000.00 a year. This increase along with the most of our present budget will go directly to paying off the existing loan for the new pumper. This unfortunately leaves no money for the addition of any of the necessary requested equipment. What is left over will have to pay for our training, repairs to vehicles and equipment, utilities, and fuel costs. Our firefighter safety task force has determined this request is necessary to protect the citizens we have contracts with and the volunteer firefighters who put their lives on the line everyday. We fear that if we cannot obtain these pieces of equipment there will be an increased probability of firefighter death or injury, along with an increase to the citizens we protect.
*Any additional relevant information that you would like us to
consider when evaluating your application.
All of the equipment requested will be for use in
mutual aid/RIT calls and also for formal training at any of the many State Fire
schools given in the area. We feel that
being proactive with planning for the present, we will best provide for
everyone in the future. A member of our department along with our safety task
force volunteered many hours of their time to prepare this grant. If funded, every penny will go directly to
the purchase of the requested equipment.
Thank you for any consideration you can give our
department in this request. The FEMA
Fire Act has been a great boost to many departments over the last couple of
years. It is only through your
volunteering and dedication to review these requests that any of this is
possible.
Thank you again.
The Hayfield Volunteer Fire Department.