E-update: June 9, 2005

WASHINGTON, DC - The application period for the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program begins Tuesday, May 31, 2005, and will end June 28, 2005. The SAFER program provides grants to fire departments for the hiring of personnel, as well grants to fire departments and regional and state fire associations to implement recruitment and retention programs.

 

The applications are automated and will be accessible from the website for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program at http://www.firegrantsupport.com. The Website also provides useful information on the program priorities and process that are discussed in the SAFER Program Guidance. A list of Frequently Asked Questions is being added, and will be updated as the program staff learns the areas of inquiry that are most often presented. An applicant tutorial on the SAFER grant, designed to instruct users on the preparation and submittal of competitive applications, is also available.

 

Congress provided $65 million for SAFER in fiscal year 2005, 10% of which is set aside for volunteer recruitment and retention. Since Fire Corps citizen advocates can be part of a department's recruitment and retention program in the forms of public relations, human resources, and other administrative functions, these funds can help to fund initiatives staffed by Fire Corps citizen advocates while helping to recruit additional operational members.

 

Applicants who have questions regarding the SAFER grant opportunities should contact the help desk at 1-866-274-0960 or at firegrants@dhs.gov. During the SAFER application period, the help desk will operate Monday to Friday, from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm (EDT), but is prepared to revise hours of operation based on volume and demand.

 

The AFG is administered by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of State and Local Government Coordination and Preparedness (SLGCP) in cooperation with the U.S. Fire Administration.

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Fire Corps and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company Announce Unique Partnership to Offer Corporate Volunteers to Nation's Fire Departments 

Fireman's Fund Employees to Support Growing Need in Local Communities

 

WASHINGTON, DC and NOVATO, Calif. - May 9, 2005 - Fire Corps and Fireman's Fund Insurance Company today announced that Fireman's Fund is the first corporation to offer employee support to fire departments across the country through Fire Corps. Fireman's Fund employees will assist with non-emergency roles in their communities, allowing firefighters to focus on acute-emergency tasks.

 

Fire Corps, a partner program of Citizen Corps, helps fire departments identify citizens across the country to handle activities such as administrative duties, fire safety education and other non-emergency projects. Fireman's Fund will work directly with Fire Corps to coordinate volunteer support by its employees and help identify new Fire Corps opportunities with fire departments across the country.

 

This partnership is the most recent extension of Fireman's Fund Heritage^SM, Fireman's Fund's philanthropic program to support firefighters for safer communities. Since its inception last year, Fireman's Fund Heritage has awarded more than $3 million in grant funding to fire agencies across the United States.

 

Through a component of Fireman's Fund Heritage called the "Bucket Brigade," Fireman's Fund employees and employees of insurance agencies that carry Fireman's Fund products will participate in activities under Fire Corps' citizen advocacy program. Additionally, employees will contact fire departments located in their communities to help Fire Corps identify additional departments needing citizen support. This information will then be added to the Fire Corps database for use by Fireman's Fund employees as well as the general public. Thus, this partnership will expand opportunities for successfully matching fire service needs and citizen manpower. 

First on the scene of any emergency, firefighters respond to natural disasters, accidents, medical emergencies and fires - despite increasingly limited resources. In addition to being on call for emergency response, fire departments are also responsible for day-to-day administration and fire-safety prevention education programs in their communities. Across the country, firefighters are being asked to do more with fewer resources.

 

"We are very excited to partner with Fireman's Fund in support of Fire Corps initiatives at fire departments and rescue squads throughout the United States," said Shawn Stokes, director of Fire Corps. "Citizens, such as Fireman's Fund employees, can add unique value to our nation's fire departments through their enthusiasm, work experience and ideas for improving programs."

 

Fire Corps established the citizen advocacy program in 2004. Fire Corps activities may include assisting fire department personnel with administrative duties, educating the public about fire safety and prevention and supporting community emergency response teams. 

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company has a long history of supporting the fire service. The company was founded in 1863 with a mission to donate a portion of its profits to widows and children of fallen firefighters. Last year, Fireman's Fund created Fireman's Fund Heritage, a national, community-based program in which Fireman's Fund and its network of independent agents provide needed equipment, fire prevention tools and firefighter training for local fire departments, as well as community fire safety education. In addition, Fireman's Fund Heritage also partners with national firefighting organizations to sponsor programs benefiting firefighters.

 

"Our collective volunteer efforts are just as important as the financial support we provide to the fire service," explained Darryl Siry, executive director of Fireman's Fund Heritage. "The time we spend working with fire departments allows them more time to accomplish the tasks for which we depend on them: fighting fires and saving lives. Fire Corps' mission is an ideal match for the goals we strive to accomplish with Fireman's Fund Heritage and the Bucket Brigade." 

As a program partner of the Department of Homeland Security's grass-roots initiative Citizen Corps, Fire Corps works through local Citizen Corps Councils to promote opportunities for citizens to assist their local fire and EMS departments. Fire Corps serves as a gateway to information for and about fire department programs and meets a citizen's desire to serve, as well as a department's need for support.

 

Fire Corps is coordinated nationally by the International Association of Fire Chiefs' Volunteer Combination Officers Section, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Volunteer Fire Council, and the Department of Homeland Security's US Fire Administration and Office of State and Local Government Preparedness and Coordination. Please visit www.firecorps.org to learn more about Fire Corps. 

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company is a premier property and casualty insurance company providing personal, commercial and specialty insurance products nationwide. Fireman's Fund is a member of the Allianz Group, one of the world's largest providers of property and casualty insurance and other financial services. For more information about either the company or Fireman's Fund Heritage, visit www.firemansfund.com.

Fire Corps and the National Office of Citizen Corps held a successful seminar at the 17th annual Congressional Fire Services Institute dinner and seminars held April 7 in Washington, DC. The session, a part of a day long series of seminars on fire service topics held on Capital Hill highlighted both Fire Corps and the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) programs of Citizen Corps and how they can benefit fire departments.

 

Presentations included an overview of Citizen Corps and a national perspective on CERT by Karen Marsh of the National Office of Citizen Corps, a national perspective of Fire Corps by Shawn Stokes, Director of Fire Corps, a local perspective on Fire Corps by Chief Jeff Cash of the Cherryville (NC) Fire Department and a local perspective of CERT by Derek Rowan of the Fairfax County (VA) Fire and Rescue Department.

 

The day ended with the CFSI dinner where the keynote speaker, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, made mention of Fire Corps being a key part of the Department's goal in building a relationship with the fire service and in preparing and protecting our communities.

 

"This was a great opportunity to educate fire service leaders about the benefits of Fire Corps and CERT," said Stokes. "In addition, the Secretary's example of Fire Corps as a cooperative effort between DHS and the fire service helped to highlight this new and exciting program."

 

For more information on Fire Corps please visit www.firecorps.org. For information on Citizen Corps and CERT please visit www.citizencorps.org.

Fire Corps will be in attendance at the International Association of Fire Fighters EMS Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada from June 26-29. Located in booth 13, Fire Corps representatives will be available to answer your questions and give ideas on how to start or improve a Fire Corps program.

 

"There is a lot of interest in Fire Corps by departments throughout the United States who want to learn more about the benefits of becoming part of the program" said Shawn Stokes, Director of Fire Corps. "The IAFF show allows us to connect with career and combination fire department representatives from throughout the United States. This will be an important opportunity to not only introduce members of the IAFF to the Fire Corps concept, but it also allows us to answer their questions about the program."

 

Please stop by and meet us. The Fire Corps staff will be waiting to answer your questions about Fire Corps and how it can benefit your department.

Please stop by, meet the Fire Corps staff, get your questions answered and sign up. We look forward to meeting you!