Ramon Edward "Ray" Age 50, of Roseville. Retired St. Paul Firefighter

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/startribune/obituary.aspx?n=ramon-edward-hain-ray&pid=136071342

Hain, Ramon Edward "Ray" Age 50, of Roseville. Retired St. Paul Firefighter. Passed away peacefully on November 14, 2009, surrounded by family and friends, after recent complications of heart failure. Preceded in death by mother, Beverly Hain. Survived by wife, Gail; daughters, Rachel (14) and Sara (12); father, Edward Hain; sisters, Sherry (Norbert) Duval and Karen (Greg) Sitzmann; brother, Steve (Jan) Hain; dog, Abby; and many other close relatives and friends. Ray graduated from college and worked for many years in the business world. Not one to sit behind a desk for long, he made a career change to realize his "calling" to become a St. Paul Firefighter/ EMT. He thrived on the adrenaline rush of fighting fires and trying to save lives. He had deep respect and appreciation for all the firefighter "brothers and sisters" he had the honor to work with. In 1998, Ray was the miraculous recipient of a heart transplant. After that, his priority was family and friends. He spent many generous hours volunteering for his daughter's school and activities, and also for his church and others. Ray was an accomplished woodworker, and he gifted many people with beautiful pieces of wood furniture, intarsia art, and his own original Christmas nutcrackers and ornaments. Ray loved being outdoors-camping, hiking, and going on mini "adventures" with his family. He also loved to travel, especially to the National Parks. Just this past year, he enjoyed trips to the Great Smoky Mountains and Alaska. A memorial service to celebrate Ray's life will be held at St. Michael's Lutheran Church, 1660 W. Cty Rd. B, in Roseville, MN on Saturday, November 21 at 4:00 pm with visitation from 2:30-4 pm and soup supper after the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to St. Michael's Lutheran Church, St. Paul Firefighters IAFF Local 21, Roseville Gymnastics Booster Association or Roseville Youth Basketball Association. Roseville Memorial Chapel 651-631-2727

The AFG Spotlight is Coming to the AFG Website

This fall a new feature called the AFG Spotlight will be introduced on the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Website. Each month the Spotlight will highlight a different topic related to the Program. With this feature we want to put a face on the AFG Program and explain in clear language what the AFG brings to our communities and the Nation as a whole.

To kick off this feature, the first article will cover where we are right now with all of the AFG's 2009 funding programs, including the SAFER Grant Program and the Fire Station Construction Grants.

Send your thoughts about our new feature and your ideas for future topics to firegrants@....

The AFG Program is administered by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Grant Programs Directorate in coordination with the U.S. Fire Administration.

Finding the laws that govern us
11/17/2009 09:05:00 AM

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/finding-laws-that-govern-us.html

As many of us recall from our civics lessons in school, the United States is a common law country. That means when judges issue opinions in legal cases, they often establish precedents that will guide the rulings of other judges in similar cases and jurisdictions. Over time, these legal opinions build, refine and clarify the laws that govern our land. For average citizens, however, it can be difficult to find or even read these landmark opinions. We think that's a problem: Laws that you don't know about, you can't follow - or make effective arguments to change.

Starting today, we're enabling people everywhere to find and read full text legal opinions from U.S. federal and state district, appellate and supreme courts using Google Scholar. You can find these opinions by searching for cases (like Planned Parenthood v. Casey), or by topics (like desegregation) or other queries that you are interested in. For example, go to Google Scholar, click on the "Legal opinions and journals" radio button, and try the query separate but equal. Your search results will include links to cases familiar to many of us in the U.S. such as Plessy v. Ferguson and Brown v. Board of Education, which explore the acceptability of "separate but equal" facilities for citizens at two different points in the history of the U.S. But your results will also include opinions from cases that you might be less familiar with, but which have played an important role.

We think this addition to Google Scholar will empower the average citizen by helping everyone learn more about the laws that govern us all. To understand how an opinion has influenced other decisions, you can explore citing and related cases using the Cited by and Related articles links on search result pages. As you read an opinion, you can follow citations to the opinions to which it refers. You can also see how individual cases have been quoted or discussed in other opinions and in articles from law journals. Browse these by clicking on the "How Cited" link next to the case title. See, for example, the frequent citations for Roe v. Wade, for Miranda v. Arizona (the source of the famous Miranda warning) or for Terry v. Ohio (a case which helped to establish acceptable grounds for an investigative stop by a police officer).

As we worked to build this feature, we were struck by how readable and accessible these opinions are. Court opinions don't just describe a decision but also present the reasons that support the decision. In doing so, they explain the intricacies of law in the context of real-life situations. And they often do it in language that is surprisingly straightforward, even for those of us outside the legal profession. In many cases, judges have gone quite a bit out of their way to make complex legal issues easy to follow. For example, in Korematsu v. United States, the Supreme Court justices present a fascinating and easy-to-follow debate on the legality of internment of natural born citizens based on their ancestry. And in United States v. Ramirez- Lopez, Judge Kozinski, in his dissent, illustrates the key issue of the case using an imagined good-news/bad-news dialogue between the defendant and his attorney.

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of several pioneers, who have worked on making it possible for an average citizen to educate herself about the laws of the land: Tom Bruce (Cornell LII), Jerry Dupont (LLMC), Graham Greenleaf and Andrew Mowbray (AustLII), Carl Malamud (Public.Resource.Org), Daniel Poulin (LexUM), Tim Stanley (Justia), Joe Ury (BAILII), Tim Wu (AltLaw) and many others. It is an honor to follow in their footsteps. We would also like to acknowledge the judges who have built this cathedral of justice brick by brick and have tried to make it accessible to the rest of us. We hope Google Scholar will help all of us stand on the shoulders of these giants.

Posted by Anurag Acharya, Distinguished Engineer

NFPA Launches new Web pages to Streamline Access to Technical Document Information

For immediate release  

Contact:          Lorraine Carli

                        Public Affairs Office: +1-617-984-7275

publicaffairs@...

NFPA launches new Web pages

to streamline access to technical document information

Details on more than 300 codes and standards available

November 16, 2009 – The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) introduced improved document information Web pages to make finding information on its more than 300 codes and standards easier. This project was developed based on feedback received from a survey of NFPA’s technical committee members, the volunteers responsible for developing and revising NFPA documents, and other participants in the process.

“The new ‘Doc Info’ pages provide one central location for all the information that pertains to each of our more than 300 NFPA technical documents,” said Chris Dubay, NFPA’s vice president of codes and standards and chief engineer. “This major advancement is part of a continuing effort to use technology to enhance our code development system as well as make it easier for people to find the information they’re seeking.”

In addition to new search capabilities, users will be able to navigate and find additional details by selecting one of three tabbed sections:

• Document information
  Document scope, archived revision information on current and previous editions, and the ability to view ("read-only") and purchase current and previous editions.
• Next edition
  Information about the current revision cycle, Report on Proposals (ROP), Report on Comments (ROC), Notices of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAMs).
• Technical Committee
  Committee name and scope, NFPA staff liaison, list of committee members, information on how to apply to a committee. 

More improvements planned in the near future will include information on upcoming Technical Committee meetings as well as agendas and minutes. 

See full list of NFPA documents. (Document information pages can be viewed by clicking on any document.) 

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education. Visit NFPA’s Web site at www.nfpa.org.

Menahga Fire Department gets call from state auditor

This year’s Menahga Fire Relief pancake feed fundraiser was incorrectly advertised, resulting in an anonymous call to the Office of the State Auditor. The annual event, held in October, is a fundraiser for the Fire Relief Association.

By: Riham Feshir, Park Rapids Enterprise

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/event/article/id/20744/

This year’s Menahga Fire Relief pancake feed fundraiser was incorrectly advertised, resulting in an anonymous call to the Office of the State Auditor.

The annual event, held in October, is a fundraiser for the Fire Relief Association. But this year’s flyers insinuated that the fire department hosted the event, by inadvertently eliminating the word “relief.”

Fire Chief Dave Kicker indirectly implied that one of the council members reported the mistake at Monday night’s meeting.

“It didn’t make us very happy,” he said. “The council should have been behind us.”

Councilwoman Maxine Norman said she wasn’t the one to report the incident.

“I didn’t send it in,” she said. “And if anyone in this town is accusing me of that, they are wrong.”

That’s why she requested last month that a letter from the council be sent to the fire department reminding them to include the Fire Relief Association sponsorship in all flyers, posters and notices for those types of events, to avoid an OSA investigation in the future, Norman said.

One way a fire relief association differs from a city or town fire department is that a volunteer fire relief association is required to maintain control of its own funds, according to the OSA.

It receives and manages public money to offer retirement benefits for those providing firefighting and emergency first response services.

“They know what should happen, they told us it was an oversight,” State Auditor Rebecca Otto said in an interview. “They said the person who prepared the flyer made a mistake … it will not happen again.”

Read more here

http://www.parkrapidsenterprise.com/event/article/id/20744/

Duluth Firefighters Union boots 3 firefighters for volunteering

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/151974/

FOX 21 News: Union boots firefighters

After Bob Noldin built a home in Hermantown last year, the 23-year veteran of the Duluth Fire Department decided he should serve on his new community’s volunteer fire department.

“I thought it would be nice to help them, and they’re short [of] firefighters up here,” he said.

Noldin volunteered for Hermantown along with fellow Duluth firefighters Sandy Merritt and Brian Black. But when the Duluth Fire Union found out, the three were asked to resign their union memberships early this year. Noldin said he took that route rather than stop volunteering for Hermantown.

Under state law, the three are still technically union members and have to pay dues, but they don’t have a voting stake in union activities.

Merritt and Black could not be reached Friday for comment.

“I don’t feel that anybody should be able to tell a person what they can do in their days off for a community,” Noldin said.

The fire union disagrees. Union President Erik Simonson acknowledges the three were asked to resign their memberships, saying that volunteering for another department is strictly prohibited in union bylaws. Simonson said his union is following the rules set out by the International Fire Union.

“This is primarily over concern for the safety of our members,” Simonson said. “They are doing a job that is risky. If they were to get hurt, if something happens to them, they wouldn’t be covered under the city liability coverage.

“In my mind, this issue was resolved internally a number of months ago,” he added.

Simonson notes that Duluth firefighters aren’t barred from any other work or volunteer activity when off-duty.

Noldin said he was told the forced resignations were in part due to another reason: fear that volunteers will take over full-time firefighting jobs.

“I don’t think that will ever happen,” Noldin said. “[Hermantown] has enough problems getting firefighters of their own.”

Noldin said the fire union wanted to go further than the resignations and sought to fire the three. He said the union voted to insert language into the next contract that would have allowed the city administration to fire any firefighter who served on a volunteer department.

However, Noldin said he was told by Simonson on Friday that the union “wouldn’t push” that language.

“He said there are more important issues to work on in the contract at this time,” he said.

The provision didn’t seem likely to make it into the contract, anyway.

“We continue to oppose this position and will not agree to it in any form,” Duluth Mayor Don Ness said when asked for comment on Friday.

Simonson declined to comment on any effort to change contract language. As for firing employees who work as volunteer firefighters, he said “there are other locals that have a similar type of provision.”

“If we were, and I’m not saying that we were, we would not be breaking any new ground,” Simonson said.

The president of the Minnesota Professional Fire Fighters Union, Tom Thornberg, said he was aware of only one other union in the state that would fire employees for volunteering: St. Paul.

But the president of that union, Mike Smith, said the contract changed in early November after receiving a federal grant. Under the terms of that grant, “we can’t discriminate against any employees volunteering on another department,” Smith said.

The St. Paul union still has restrictions on firefighters serving on volunteer departments, including the ability to ask that employees be fired if they don’t receive permission from the union to volunteer.

Smith said his union is following the stance of the International Fire Union, and their restrictions are meant to punish firefighters who serve on volunteer departments in the Twin Cities area.

“We believe that if a city can afford a full-time police department, they can afford a full-time fire department,” he said.

====================

MFSN Editors Note;

Looks like Duluth will not be eligible for the valuable SAFER awards.

Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grants of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2009SAFERguidance.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) should also be reviewed on the grant program’s website (www.firegrantsupport.com).

Appendix 2

Grantee Responsibilities

http://www.firegrantsupport.com/docs/2009SAFERguidance.pdf

Page 32

(9) Not withstanding any provision of other laws, firefighters hired under these grants shall not be discriminated against for, or be prohibited from, engaging in volunteer activities in another jurisdiction during off-duty hours.

Update:  Fire Relief Association Working Group

The Working Group held its fifth meeting on Tuesday, November 10. The Group continued its discussion on a proposal to change the order of payment for survivor benefits. Several changes to the proposal were suggested, and the Group agreed to gather more information from affected plans and revisit the topic at the December meeting.

The Group also decided to work on creating a general record retention schedule for volunteer fire relief associations that will be presented to the Records Disposition Panel for review. The record retention schedule will provide guidance for relief associations on the maintenance of records, and would also provide authority for certain types of records to be destroyed after designated periods of time. Currently, Fire Relief Associations must retain all records.

The final scheduled Working Group meeting of the year is Tuesday, December 8. Working Group agendas and meeting materials are available at:

http://www.auditor.state.mn.us/default.aspx?page=reliefworkinggroup.

Serino Seeks to Raise Profile of EMS

Posted: November 12th, 2009 06:44 PM EDT

By Ed Ballam
EMSResponder.com News

DURHAM, N.H. -- There should be little doubt that the nation's emergency medical providers have a friend in a very high place.

Richard Serino, the newly appointed deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), told a group of about 100 providers at a conference in New Hampshire that he fully intends to use newly acquired political clout to get more funding for emergency medical service.

FEMA has about $7 billion to give away annually, Serino told the gathered providers.

With that comment someone in the audience called out; "How about sending some more to EMS?"

"Do you know what, I think I will," Serino responded, noting that it was a priority on his list. His response drew spontaneous applause.

Serino, the former chief of Boston Emergency Medical Services, is a newly minted presidential appointee, having left his gig in Boston on Oct. 8, 2009. The 35.5-year veteran of EMS said he was pleased with his new position and was anxious to raise the profile of emergency medical services.

Serino was speaking at the inaugural conference of Focus EMS, sponsored by McGregor Institute of EMS, a non-profit organization providing education to the public and to healthcare providers in pre-hospital emergency medicine in New England. It's based in Durham, N.H.

The deputy's presentation, which was planned long before he took the appointment, was on the topic of "EMS at the Intersection of Public Health and Public Safety." He focused on the unique position EMS providers have in their mission and with the agencies with which they work. Providers not only provide emergency care, they can also be pro-active, sponsoring illness and injury prevention education like child seat safety checks and events to promote the use of bicycle helmets and discourage use of drugs and abuse of alcohol.

"To improve the health of the people of our community -- that's what we do," Serino said. "...We need to work on putting ourselves out of business someday. That really should be the goal."

Serino said he was honored and humbled by the appointment. "I got into this to help people and working for FEMA is an extension of the same thing," he said.

To be sure, he will be a strong advocate for EMS.

"We will be looking to enhance funding for EMS over the next several years," Serino said, noting that FEMA funding dedicated to EMS is currently about 4 percent.

He also said he plans to carry on the mantra he's been following for his entire career as an EMS provider and administrator.

"Take care of the patients and do the right thing," Serino said. "That's the way EMTs and paramedics do things."

Printable version may be for personal use only. Content may not be duplicated, re-used or otherwise replicated without expressed, written consent from EMSResponder.com and/or the original author/source.

Provided by EMSResponder.com - A Cygnus Business Media site

Visit EMSResponder.com daily for the latest industry news, commentary, features and more.

** High Priority **

December 10, 2009

Flyer    Registration Form

http://www.mr.mnscu.edu/customized_training/ACCEPTIntro1.pdf

http://minnesotafireservice.com/whatsnewtrainingnews.html

  A.C.C.E.P.T.
A conference designed to bring
heightened awareness and
practical solutions for addressing
or responding to emergencies
within any community or
organization ...

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

All persons and agencies involved with emergency preparedness, management and response, including: public safety personnel, hospital, financial and school employees, physicians, nurses, city and county employees, health workers and anyone who plays an important role in critical incidents.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Steve Flaherty

Fire Program Manager

Mesabi Range College

(218) 749-7770 (Office)

(218) 780 6705 (Cellular)

(218) 749-7782 (Fax)

Check out this link to our recent training video!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/reducedl#play/uploads/0/43u2sZAX6rI

www.mr.mnscu.edu/customized_training/ff1.htm

"Select leaders for accomplishment -- not for affection."

*** HISTORY PASSING ***

Pioneer smokejumper Earl Cooley dies in Mont.

Montana’s News Station

http://www.montanasnewsstation.com/global/story.asp?s=11491963

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - Earl Cooley, the smokejumper who took the Forest Service's first leap into a flame-riddled wilderness, died Monday in Missoula. He was 98.

Cooley made the jump into the Nez Perce National Forest on July 12, 1940. His chute nearly failed to open and he landed 140 feet above ground, stuck in a spruce tree. Still, Cooley and fellow jumper Rufus Robinson had the fire under control by the next day.

In 1958, Cooley was named the smokejumper base superintendent in Missoula. He retired from the Forest Service in 1975 to start Cooley Realty.

Cooley also helped found the National Smokejumper Association and served as its president for three years. In 1984, he chronicled much of the Forest Service's early smokejumping history in his book "Trimotor and Trail."

NIOSH has recently released the following Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation Reports:

*** REMINDER ***

Maximum of 60 spots … still have room for  a few. Seats are filling fast so register today.

Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Best Western Kelly Inn

St. Cloud, Minnesota

Hosted by: The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association

In cooperation with: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities

Fire/EMS/Safety Center and South Central College

Sponsored by: Ag Products, Inc., BNSF Railway, Inc., CoBank, Lowry Mfg. Co., Michigan Millers Mutual Insurance Co., & Sioux City Inspection & Weighing Service Co.

Each year, grain storage and milling facilities are damaged or destroyed by fire or experience other safety and health related situations. Fortunately, through aggressive safety efforts in the industry, the incidents of fire and explosion have dramatically decreased, but the incidents of bin related accidents have increased. However, when an incident occurs, and, in too many instances, lives are lost. The resulting loss can be staggering. In hundreds of Minnesota communities, the local elevator is the main business and the principal risk for the fire department and rescue personnel.

Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop

The Minnesota Grain and Feed Association, which represents the interests of nearly 400 country grain elevators and feed mills in Minnesota, has scheduled a Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop for Saturday, November 21, 2009 at the Best Western Kelly Inn, St. Cloud. The workshop is designed to alert fire fighting personnel to ways and means of preventing and controlling a fire and explosion at a grain elevator and feed mill. In addition, attendees will learn about the hazards associated with grain storage bins and the right approach to rescuing a person from an entrapment situation. The workshop will be taught by safety professionals who have special knowledge, skills and expertise in preventing and fighting a grain elevator or feed mill fire or responding to a grain bin entrapment. The workshop will be conducted in a classroom fashion so turn-out gear is not required.

The workshop will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The cost will be $75 per person and includes pertinent handouts, lunch and breaks. NOTE: Vouchers cannot be used to cover registration but will be available for (Minnesota) fire department personnel reimbursement. To register, complete the enclosed registration form and return it, along with a check, to the Minnesota Grain and Feed Association. A confirmation will be sent to the department of the registrants. Cancellations will be accepted up to 72 hours in advance. After that time, a full refund is not guaranteed.

Grain Elevator and Feed Mill Fire Fighting and Bin Rescue Workshop

Saturday, November 21, 2009, 9:30 A.M. – 3:00 P.M.

Best Western Kelly Inn – St. Cloud, MN

REGISTRATION FORM

http://grainnet.com/pdf/Fire_Workshop_Registation.pdf

House lawmakers seek to remove FEMA from Homeland Security

By Katherine McIntire Peters kpeters@... November 6, 2009

On Thursday the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved legislation that would remove the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the Homeland Security Department and return it to independent, Cabinet-level status.

The 2009 FEMA Independence Act (H.R. 1174) was first introduced in February by Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., and has 29 co-sponsors. The idea of returning FEMA to the independent status it held in the 1990s, before the formation of Homeland Security in 2003, gained traction after the government's bungled response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Full story at

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=43991&dcn=e_hsw

Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders

during Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases

http://osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3370-protecting-EMS-respondersSM.pdf

OSHA 3370-11 2009

Acknowledgements

Numerous individuals, agencies and organizations assisted in the development of this publication. OSHA wishes to express its deepest appreciation to the following for their significant contributions to this guide. Hennepin County Medical Center, Dept of Emergency Medicine was among the stakeholders that were reconvened in 2006 to provide input regarding this document.

OSHA releases Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders during Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases

From the Executive Summary:

In 2005, OSHA published the Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers guide that provided guidance for those healthcare facilities that receive and treat victims of hazardous substance releases. At the request of stakeholders that participated in the development of that guide, OSHA has developed a similar guide for emergency medical service (EMS)responders who provide medical assistance during an incident involving a hazardous substance release. This guide is intended for employers of EMS responders and discusses the measures these employers need to take to protect their EMS responders from becoming additional victims while on the front line of medical response.

Scope

EMS responders are broadly defined here as the individuals who provide pre-hospital emergency medical care and patient transportation. Some EMS responders are also assigned duties that support patient care, including patient decontamination. For the purpose of this guide, the term EMS responder refers to all levels of emergency medical personnel involved in incident response (e.g., emergency medical technicians [EMTs], paramedics, and others who perform similar duties). While many EMS responders are cross-trained(e.g., EMT and firefighter), this guide applies to these workers only when they are functioning as EMS responders.

The document can be downloaded at:

http://osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3370-protecting-EMS-respondersSM.pdf
<http://osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3370-protecting-EMS-respondersSM.pdf>

This document is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains recommendations as well as descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires that employers to comply with safety and health standards promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan. In addition, the Act’s General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1), requires employers to provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Employers may be cited for violating mandatory safety and health standards or other OSH Act requirements, including the General Duty Clause.

*** FREE TRAINING MATERIAL ***

Active Shooter and 4th/5th Generation Warfare PPT, video materials and references for law enforcement:
http://www.officer.com/posa/index.jsp?siteSection=30
 
AND
 
Preparation for and Response to Mass Shooting Events
http://www.ffsupport.org/training.html

Mass shooting events are becoming more common, and the response to them involves every public safety agency for miles around. This program details the actions that fire and EMS agencies can take to prepare themselves for this all-too-likely event, and the actions they can take when the event occurs.

It covers:

·         Multi-agency planning and preparation

·         Creating a prevention environment

·         Command, command post and crowd control issues for this kind of event

·         An overview of the tactics that agencies should be familiar with

This program is available in two formats. The 40+ PowerPoint slide presentation covers the material thoroughly, while the 45-minute video program is a verbal presentation of the PowerPoint material.
http://www.ffsupport.org/training.html
 

USFA Administrator Touts Non-Competitive Grants

Fire departments in impoverished areas may soon get a leg up in the grant process.

BY PAUL PELUSO

Firehouse.com News

http://www.firehouse.com/news/top-headlines/usfa-administrator-touts-non-competitive-grants

Posted: Sat, 11/07/2009 - 00:27
Updated: Mon, 11/09/2009 - 12:07

The head of the U.S. Fire Service wants to give departments in "high-risk and economically deprived" communities a leg up in the grant process.

While speaking at the annual VCOS symposium in Clearwater, Fla. on Nov. 6, USFA Administrator Kelvin Cochran said he hopes to offer non-competitive grants as soon as next year to communities that don't have the money or the resources needed to obtain them.

Under the plan, departments in selected communities would be awarded Fire Prevention and Safety grants without having to go through the application process.

Unlike bigger departments that have the resources, Cochran said these departments -- situated in urban and rural areas -- are currently being left out.

"They shouldn't ever have to compete for these grants," he said. "In most cases, they don't even have the means to apply for them."

The idea will be explored as part of a larger assessment study focusing on ways to improve various areas of the nation's fire service. Cochran said he expects the study to take between six months to a year to perform and that he hopes to have the non-competitive component in place by the time the 2010 grants are distributed.

"It's a very aggressive goal," he said.

The main reason for offering the non-competitive grants would be to help decrease civilian casualties and property loss in the country's most impoverished areas, according to Cochran.

He pointed out that over the last three years, the number of civilian fire deaths has come to a plateau while it had been steadily decreasing over the previous 33 years. He believes the communities that would be targeted by this plan have the most to gain from fire education.

He also spoke further about the need to take a closer look at the way FIRE Act grants are being distributed as a whole in order to make sure the system is an efficient one. A large part of that, he said, is making sure the money is going to where it is needed the most instead of just those departments that have the resources to apply for them.

"Our goal is to make sure the things you get are filling gaps in your capabilities," he said, using the example that not all departments need a hazmat team.

"We would not have what we have today without them," he said, but added that despite the overwhelming success the program has been for the fire service, the grants are "under constant scrutiny and even though we know the proof is in the pudding, nothing has been created to help silence the critics and naysayers."

**** ATTENTION FIRST RESPONDERS AND FIREFIGHTERS ****

Glacial Ridge A.B.A.T.E. will be hosting the 3rd annual Old Fashioned Christmas at Rooney’s in Sedan on December 5th from 1 – 4 p.m. All Children are invited to come and tell Old St. Nick their Christmas wishes. There will be free pictures of the children with St. Nick, old fashioned take home treats for the children, and refreshments to be served to all. After visiting with St. Nick, take an Old Fashioned Sleigh ride around town, just like in the ‘Good Old Days’!

Glacial Ridge is a local chapter of A.B.A.T.E. that covers the counties of Pope, Swift, Kandiyohi, Stearns and they provide buddy bears and financial support to the area first responders is inviting you to their annual holiday gathering to meet St Nicholas.

Glacial Ridge Chapter Website

http://www.glacialridgeabate.org

American Bikers for Awareness Training and Education (A.B.A.T.E.) is a non-profit organization of motorcyclists whose goals are public awareness of motorcycles on the roadways; and the constant improvement of motorcycle safety through training and education, and the changing of people’s negative attitude towards bikers.

Sedan MN is between Glenwood and Brooten on highway 55

GOOGLE MAP

http://maps.googlecom/maps?q=203+Marsh+St,+56334&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=45.577192,-95.248075&spn=0.005257,0.013819&z=16&g=203+Marsh+St,+56334&iwloc=addr

DHS in trials of next generation multiband radio

Published 3 November 2009

Emergency communication interoperability is getting closer as the day of the single-band radio is coming to an end; DHS’ S&T is testing a multiband radio for emergency services

Tom Chirhart knows a lot about radios, but over the last year, he has received a real life lesson in supply and demand. When he put out an APB on behalf of the DHS’s Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) looking for volunteers to test a new radio that allows first responders to talk to one another across different frequency bands, the line of interested agencies was long and eager.

The challenge of aligning communications among different first responders — such as fire fighters, police officers, and emergency medical teams — has grown apace with the size and sophistication of response teams and plans. As the construction of public safety systems consumed all the available channels in a single radio band, the government logically opened up other bands. Radio equipment lagged behind, however, continuing to operate on just one spectrum band. This limitation did indeed create communications hurdles during the most serious emergencies — natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

“The issue of being able to talk to each other has been such a prominent one for so long, responder agencies were jumping at the opportunity to test the new radios we were evaluating,” said Chirhart, who manages S&T’s three-and-a-half-year-old multi-band radio (MBR) research project.

Starting this month, fourteen agencies across the United States will have the opportunity to try out this leading edge technology with fellow first responders through 30-day pilot projects.

Ashley Strickland, a captain at the Pittsboro Fire Department in Indiana who tested out an early multi-band radio prototype, observes that interoperability issues have become more important in the last decade as first responders now routinely respond to emergencies outside their official jurisdiction. “Ten to fifteen years ago you wouldn’t see many fire departments cross their borders on a daily basis,” said Strickland. “Today, these ‘border drops’ are more common than not. Whoever is the closest fire department goes on the run. To have that happen you need interoperable equipment that works so you can talk to different agencies.”

Boise Fire Department Captain Paul Roberts thinks about multi-band radio innovation much in the way he thinks about his smartphone. Once upon a time (not too long ago, actually), if you wanted to make a few phone calls, listen to your favorite tunes, edit your calendar, download e-mails, and surf the Web, you had to tote around five separate, bulky devices and all but wear a utility belt. The extra weight slowed you down, the extra screens cut down on your efficiency, and the extra cash you spent burned a hole in your pocket. Then, along came a device on which you could do all of these things at one time, boosting productivity and saving money.

Many first responders today are stuck working in a similar prehistoric era, lugging around multiple radios on their belts, just so that they can listen and talk to other first responders at different agencies.

Amateur radio operators are able to communicate across different bands, but unfortunately, their products are not sturdy or reliable enough to be used by first response professionals.

“The value in a multi-band radio is that you don’t have to carry three or four different radios — or buy three or four radios at a cost of $4,000 each,” said Roberts, whose fire department is one of the fourteen that will participate in the pilot projects.

Right now, the new multi-band radio to be piloted this fall rings in at about the same cost ($4,000-$6,000), size (10 inches tall), and weight (less than two pounds) of top-of-the-line single-band radios. It works on the five frequency bands currently used by state and local first responders, and, if necessary, can work on four other bands used exclusively by the federal government, the Department of Defense, National Guard, and the Coast Guard. It even provides weather reports from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The battery is expected to last in excess of 10 hours in order to meet the realities of longer shifts. It works even after being sprayed with a fire hose.

“If the multi-band radio can be credited with ensuring that just one first responder goes home to his or her family at the end of their shift, then the whole effort has paid for itself,” Chirhart added.

S&T hopes that the introduction of these radios will spur manufacturers to develop their own professional quality versions — much like what happened with smartphones — along with accessories like alternative batteries or GPS chips that departments can purchase separately.

A final version of the radios could be ready for the mass market by the middle of 2010. By that time, supply should meet demand, as many companies are now jumping on the virtual bandwagon to develop these new radios. S&T launched the MBR project with the goal of stimulating the marketplace so that multiple vendors would see the value in developing this technology to provide greater options that meet public safety requirements.

If the technology is as successful as S&T thinks that it could be, interoperability challenges, like cell phones that only make phone calls, may become forgotten relics of the past.

The fourteen organizations participating in the pilot are:

·         2010 Olympic Security Committee (Blaine, Wash., and Vancouver, B.C. Canada)

·        Amtrak (Northeast Corridor)

·        Boise Fire Department (Boise, Idaho)

·        Canadian Interoperability Technology Interest Group (Ottawa, ON Canada)

·        Customs and Border Patrol (Detroit, Mich.)

·        Federal Emergency Management Agency (Multiple Locations)

·        Hawaii State Civil Defense (Honolulu, Hawaii)

·        Interagency Communication Interoperability System (Los Angeles County, Calif.)

·        Michigan Emergency Medical Services (Lower Peninsula Areas)

·        Murray State University (Southwest Kentucky)

·        Phoenix Police Department and Arizona Department of Emergency Management (Greater Phoenix and Yuma County)

·        Texas National Guard (Austin, Texas)

·        U.S. Marshals Service (Northeast Region)

·         Washington Metro Area Transit Authority Transit Police (Washington, D.C.)

Read the additional pages of this Homeland Security News Wire report here

http://homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dhs-trials-next-generation-multiband-radio?page=0,0

Second Certification for 2009 Fire State Aid

The Office of the State Auditor is pleased to announce that 142 volunteer fire relief associations met all reporting requirements to be certified as eligible for receipt of their 2009 fire state aid for the second round of aid disbursements. State aid will be disbursed on or about November 15 for the certified relief associations.

In total, 689 volunteer fire relief associations and other local public pension plans have been certified as eligible for their 2009 state aid. Only 77 volunteer fire relief associations have yet to meet their reporting requirements. The next certification deadline for 2009 state aid eligibility is March 1, 2010.

Please accept my apology on the repeated emails. I should have waited until I had a better cell signal before attempting to transmit and email whit a large attachment.  The poor signal creates a situation where the computer believes the file did not complete the transfer and resends it.

There are no viruses at work or infections.

Thanks

Warren

IFSTA is Soliciting Members for New Committee to Meet at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference    

Written for firefighters by firefighters! This is not simply an advertising slogan — it is the way that IFSTA manuals have been written and validated for over 70 years. In order to produce new and revised IFSTA manuals, a collaborative effort is required between the staff members at Oklahoma State Univer­sity’s Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and members of the IFSTA validating committee assigned to that project.  

IFSTA committee members are subject-matter experts from all areas of the fire industry who pro­vide assistance in reviewing and approving draft chapters for new manuals. Committee members also provide assistance in obtaining research materials, photographs, and other information needed to produce a finished manual. Committees typically complete their work in a one- to two-year time frame, during which two to four meetings may be held. Meetings held in conjunction with the July IFSTA Validation Conference are attended at the member’s own expense. Committee members may be re­imbursed by FPP for transportation and lodging expenses for one interim meeting that is held at other times during the year.

IFSTA is currently seeking members for a new committee that will begin their work at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 10-14, 2010. The new committee will be:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th edition

Individuals with interest in this topic are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the attached application form and return it to IFSTA/FPP no later than January 5, 2010. All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application on or around February 1, 2010. You may also fill out the application online at www.ifsta.org

Participating in the IFSTA validation process is a personally and professionally rewarding experi­ence. We hope that you will give strong consideration to helping us continue the tradition of firefighters writing manuals for firefighters!

IFSTA Committee Member Responsibilities

Fire service professionals who accept the invitation to participate on an IFSTA validation committee will be expected to provide technical advice on the content of the manual and technical review of the ma­terials written by staff members of Fire Protection Publications. Prior to the committee’s first meeting, members will be sent information on the scope of the work to be performed and a suggested outline for the new manual. At the first meeting, the committee will finalize the manual’s outline and may begin review of draft chapters. Draft chapters are typically sent to committee members at a rate of one or two per month.

Members should expect to spend two to five hours reviewing each chapter. Members must reply with their comments on the chapters in writing within three to four weeks of receiving each chapter. Continued participation in the process is contingent on meeting assigned deadlines.

FPP staff members compile all the comments received for each chapter. The comments are re­viewed and acted upon by the committee as a whole at future committee meetings. These meetings typically range from one to three days. When all the issues in a given chapter are settled, that chapter is considered finished. The process is continued until all chapters in the manual have been addressed. At that time, the committee is dismissed and FPP staff members complete the publishing of the manual.

Application form is attached to this email.

IFSTA is Soliciting Members for New Committee to Meet at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference    

Written for firefighters by firefighters! This is not simply an advertising slogan — it is the way that IFSTA manuals have been written and validated for over 70 years. In order to produce new and revised IFSTA manuals, a collaborative effort is required between the staff members at Oklahoma State Univer­sity’s Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and members of the IFSTA validating committee assigned to that project.  

IFSTA committee members are subject-matter experts from all areas of the fire industry who pro­vide assistance in reviewing and approving draft chapters for new manuals. Committee members also provide assistance in obtaining research materials, photographs, and other information needed to produce a finished manual. Committees typically complete their work in a one- to two-year time frame, during which two to four meetings may be held. Meetings held in conjunction with the July IFSTA Validation Conference are attended at the member’s own expense. Committee members may be re­imbursed by FPP for transportation and lodging expenses for one interim meeting that is held at other times during the year.

IFSTA is currently seeking members for a new committee that will begin their work at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 10-14, 2010. The new committee will be:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th edition

Individuals with interest in this topic are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the attached application form and return it to IFSTA/FPP no later than January 5, 2010. All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application on or around February 1, 2010. You may also fill out the application online at www.ifsta.org

Participating in the IFSTA validation process is a personally and professionally rewarding experi­ence. We hope that you will give strong consideration to helping us continue the tradition of firefighters writing manuals for firefighters!

IFSTA Committee Member Responsibilities

Fire service professionals who accept the invitation to participate on an IFSTA validation committee will be expected to provide technical advice on the content of the manual and technical review of the ma­terials written by staff members of Fire Protection Publications. Prior to the committee’s first meeting, members will be sent information on the scope of the work to be performed and a suggested outline for the new manual. At the first meeting, the committee will finalize the manual’s outline and may begin review of draft chapters. Draft chapters are typically sent to committee members at a rate of one or two per month.

Members should expect to spend two to five hours reviewing each chapter. Members must reply with their comments on the chapters in writing within three to four weeks of receiving each chapter. Continued participation in the process is contingent on meeting assigned deadlines.

FPP staff members compile all the comments received for each chapter. The comments are re­viewed and acted upon by the committee as a whole at future committee meetings. These meetings typically range from one to three days. When all the issues in a given chapter are settled, that chapter is considered finished. The process is continued until all chapters in the manual have been addressed. At that time, the committee is dismissed and FPP staff members complete the publishing of the manual.

Application form is attached to this email.

Congress is in session today.

Why are there no Minnesota Representatives on here?

Nov 4, 2009 - Bill Action

H.R. 3791: Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009

Cosponsorship change. Total as of today is 86

Del. Bordallo [D-GU]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Bishop [D-NY1]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Loebsack [D-IA2]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Nadler [D-NY8]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Schauer [D-MI7]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Edwards [D-MD4]: New cosponsor.

Rep. McGovern [D-MA3]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Markey [D-CO4]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Reichert [R-WA8]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Hare [D-IL17]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Israel [D-NY2]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Carney [D-PA10]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Schwartz [D-PA13]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Sires [D-NJ13]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Boccieri [D-OH16]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Sherman [D-CA27]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Sarbanes [D-MD3]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Boucher [D-VA9]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Blumenauer [D-OR3]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Boswell [D-IA3]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Kildee [D-MI5]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Lynch [D-MA9]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Capps [D-CA23]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Murphy [D-CT5]: New cosponsor.

Rep. Ruppersberger [D-MD2]: New cosponsor.

(H.R. 3791: Fire Grants Reauthorization Act of 2009)

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3791

IFSTA is Soliciting Members for New Committee to Meet at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference    

Written for firefighters by firefighters! This is not simply an advertising slogan — it is the way that IFSTA manuals have been written and validated for over 70 years. In order to produce new and revised IFSTA manuals, a collaborative effort is required between the staff members at Oklahoma State Univer­sity’s Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and members of the IFSTA validating committee assigned to that project.  

IFSTA committee members are subject-matter experts from all areas of the fire industry who pro­vide assistance in reviewing and approving draft chapters for new manuals. Committee members also provide assistance in obtaining research materials, photographs, and other information needed to produce a finished manual. Committees typically complete their work in a one- to two-year time frame, during which two to four meetings may be held. Meetings held in conjunction with the July IFSTA Validation Conference are attended at the member’s own expense. Committee members may be re­imbursed by FPP for transportation and lodging expenses for one interim meeting that is held at other times during the year.

IFSTA is currently seeking members for a new committee that will begin their work at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 10-14, 2010. The new committee will be:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th edition

Individuals with interest in this topic are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the attached application form and return it to IFSTA/FPP no later than January 5, 2010. All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application on or around February 1, 2010. You may also fill out the application online at www.ifsta.org

Participating in the IFSTA validation process is a personally and professionally rewarding experi­ence. We hope that you will give strong consideration to helping us continue the tradition of firefighters writing manuals for firefighters!

IFSTA Committee Member Responsibilities

Fire service professionals who accept the invitation to participate on an IFSTA validation committee will be expected to provide technical advice on the content of the manual and technical review of the ma­terials written by staff members of Fire Protection Publications. Prior to the committee’s first meeting, members will be sent information on the scope of the work to be performed and a suggested outline for the new manual. At the first meeting, the committee will finalize the manual’s outline and may begin review of draft chapters. Draft chapters are typically sent to committee members at a rate of one or two per month.

Members should expect to spend two to five hours reviewing each chapter. Members must reply with their comments on the chapters in writing within three to four weeks of receiving each chapter. Continued participation in the process is contingent on meeting assigned deadlines.

FPP staff members compile all the comments received for each chapter. The comments are re­viewed and acted upon by the committee as a whole at future committee meetings. These meetings typically range from one to three days. When all the issues in a given chapter are settled, that chapter is considered finished. The process is continued until all chapters in the manual have been addressed. At that time, the committee is dismissed and FPP staff members complete the publishing of the manual.

Application form is attached to this email.

IFSTA is Soliciting Members for New Committee to Meet at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference    

Written for firefighters by firefighters! This is not simply an advertising slogan — it is the way that IFSTA manuals have been written and validated for over 70 years. In order to produce new and revised IFSTA manuals, a collaborative effort is required between the staff members at Oklahoma State Univer­sity’s Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and members of the IFSTA validating committee assigned to that project.  

IFSTA committee members are subject-matter experts from all areas of the fire industry who pro­vide assistance in reviewing and approving draft chapters for new manuals. Committee members also provide assistance in obtaining research materials, photographs, and other information needed to produce a finished manual. Committees typically complete their work in a one- to two-year time frame, during which two to four meetings may be held. Meetings held in conjunction with the July IFSTA Validation Conference are attended at the member’s own expense. Committee members may be re­imbursed by FPP for transportation and lodging expenses for one interim meeting that is held at other times during the year.

IFSTA is currently seeking members for a new committee that will begin their work at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 10-14, 2010. The new committee will be:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th edition

Individuals with interest in this topic are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the attached application form and return it to IFSTA/FPP no later than January 5, 2010. All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application on or around February 1, 2010. You may also fill out the application online at www.ifsta.org

Participating in the IFSTA validation process is a personally and professionally rewarding experi­ence. We hope that you will give strong consideration to helping us continue the tradition of firefighters writing manuals for firefighters!

IFSTA Committee Member Responsibilities

Fire service professionals who accept the invitation to participate on an IFSTA validation committee will be expected to provide technical advice on the content of the manual and technical review of the ma­terials written by staff members of Fire Protection Publications. Prior to the committee’s first meeting, members will be sent information on the scope of the work to be performed and a suggested outline for the new manual. At the first meeting, the committee will finalize the manual’s outline and may begin review of draft chapters. Draft chapters are typically sent to committee members at a rate of one or two per month.

Members should expect to spend two to five hours reviewing each chapter. Members must reply with their comments on the chapters in writing within three to four weeks of receiving each chapter. Continued participation in the process is contingent on meeting assigned deadlines.

FPP staff members compile all the comments received for each chapter. The comments are re­viewed and acted upon by the committee as a whole at future committee meetings. These meetings typically range from one to three days. When all the issues in a given chapter are settled, that chapter is considered finished. The process is continued until all chapters in the manual have been addressed. At that time, the committee is dismissed and FPP staff members complete the publishing of the manual.

Application form is attached to this email.

IFSTA is Soliciting Members for New Committee to Meet at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference    

Written for firefighters by firefighters! This is not simply an advertising slogan — it is the way that IFSTA manuals have been written and validated for over 70 years. In order to produce new and revised IFSTA manuals, a collaborative effort is required between the staff members at Oklahoma State Univer­sity’s Fire Protection Publications (FPP) and members of the IFSTA validating committee assigned to that project.  

IFSTA committee members are subject-matter experts from all areas of the fire industry who pro­vide assistance in reviewing and approving draft chapters for new manuals. Committee members also provide assistance in obtaining research materials, photographs, and other information needed to produce a finished manual. Committees typically complete their work in a one- to two-year time frame, during which two to four meetings may be held. Meetings held in conjunction with the July IFSTA Validation Conference are attended at the member’s own expense. Committee members may be re­imbursed by FPP for transportation and lodging expenses for one interim meeting that is held at other times during the year.

IFSTA is currently seeking members for a new committee that will begin their work at the 2010 IFSTA Validation Conference to be held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, July 10-14, 2010. The new committee will be:

• Essentials of Fire Fighting, 6th edition

Individuals with interest in this topic are encouraged to apply. Please fill out the attached application form and return it to IFSTA/FPP no later than January 5, 2010. All applicants will be notified of the disposition of their application on or around February 1, 2010. You may also fill out the application online at www.ifsta.org

Participating in the IFSTA validation process is a personally and professionally rewarding experi­ence. We hope that you will give strong consideration to helping us continue the tradition of firefighters writing manuals for firefighters!

IFSTA Committee Member Responsibilities

Fire service professionals who accept the invitation to participate on an IFSTA validation committee will be expected to provide technical advice on the content of the manual and technical review of the ma­terials written by staff members of Fire Protection Publications. Prior to the committee’s first meeting, members will be sent information on the scope of the work to be performed and a suggested outline for the new manual. At the first meeting, the committee will finalize the manual’s outline and may begin review of draft chapters. Draft chapters are typically sent to committee members at a rate of one or two per month.

Members should expect to spend two to five hours reviewing each chapter. Members must reply with their comments on the chapters in writing within three to four weeks of receiving each chapter. Continued participation in the process is contingent on meeting assigned deadlines.

FPP staff members compile all the comments received for each chapter. The comments are re­viewed and acted upon by the committee as a whole at future committee meetings. These meetings typically range from one to three days. When all the issues in a given chapter are settled, that chapter is considered finished. The process is continued until all chapters in the manual have been addressed. At that time, the committee is dismissed and FPP staff members complete the publishing of the manual.

Application form is attached to this email.

Great … your on the list. Folks that have been to panel review like yourself will have a little better insight.

Warren

*** INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT ***

The Fire/EMS/Safety Center is looking for a few dedicated individuals that would like to become instructors to deliver the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program training sessions.

Three train-the-trainer sessions will be offered via WebEx by Fire/EMS/Safety Center faculty to demonstrate the desired teaching points and classroom requirements during late November 2009 thru January of 2010. The goal of these sessions is to increase the pool of qualified instructors to deliver the Assistance to Firefighters Grant seminars in Minnesota. An initial series of WebEx seminars will deliver a basic introduction to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program and its requirements for application.

Three additional train-the-trainer sessions will be offered during late November 2009 thru January of 2010 via WebEx by Fire/EMS/Safety Center faculty to delivery of an enhanced grant writing seminar for regional areas of the state. This seminar will focus on the requirements for writing a grant proposal, to include conducting research of grant availability and requirements, developing a technical proposal, and meeting compliance with federal, state, and local regulations for competition and record keeping. These seminars will be presented with a goal of providing basic grant writing skills to those departments preparing for the 2010 AFG application period.

Ten traditional regional AFG Workshop seminars are proposed to ensure that each regional area can offer the availability of a seminar to the departments within that region. These seminars will be used as part of the train-the-trainer requirements for the new instructors that successfully completed the WebEx training. These sessions will be lead by Fire/EMS/Safety Center Instructor Trainers during the month of February and March 2010 in advance of the 2010 AFG application period. New instructors will team teach with us during these regional training sessions. New instructors will be expected to participate in at least one regional session as part of the train the trainer. Travel expenses will be provided for instructors.

We will also deliver two hour WebEx lecture series on five topic areas. First Timers to AFG, Operations and Safety Activity (Fire & EMS), Vehicles Activity (Fire & EMS), Regional Applications and Narrative Writing, as standard AFG Workshops as we did in 2009 via WebEx with great success. New instructors will be expected to participate in at least one WebEx session as part of the train the trainer.

If you are interested in becoming a resource for Minnesota fire and EMS service please contact us via return email.

Warren Jorgenson  wrjorgen@...

Bruce Roed  broed@...

Dan Roeglin  Dan.Roeglin@...