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Saturday, September 07, 2013
Firefighters seek signatures to renew grantBy MORGAN MANNS
Staff Writer
Fostoria Fire Division is working hard to ensure that Fostoria continues to be a SAFER community.
Fostoria Fire Chief Keith Loreno and all Fostoria firefighters are attempting to rally enough signatures to help renew the SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant.
The 2013 SAFER grant deadline was August 30. Loreno said he submitted the Fostoria Fire Division's application on August 29. If received, the renewed grant will give the Fostoria Fire Division roughly $1.2 million. Granted awards should be announced in January of 2014.
The total amount of money being offered this year is almost $321 million. The projected number of applicants for the 2013 SAFER grant is 2,500 while the projected number of grants awarded for the year is 300, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) website.
The SAFER grant is a two-year grant issued by FEMA, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Grant Programs Directorate (GPD). According to the FEMA website, the primary goal of the SAFER grant is to help fund staffing and deployment capabilities so fire departments may "more effectively respond to emergencies."
The SAFER grant was created in 2003 to provide funding to fire departments and volunteer firefighter organizations to help them "increase or maintain the number of trained, "front line" firefighters available in their communities," according to the website.
Fostoria Fire Division previously received the SAFER grant in September of 2010. Of the roughly $420 million awarded to nearly 445 different fire departments in the U.S., Fostoria Fire Division received $1.2 million. Grants were completely awarded after 36 rounds (weeks) in which Fostoria was awarded in round five. The current grant ends September 21.
"(The SAFER) grant has allowed for us to provide base salaries and benefits for the last two years," Loreno said. "It currently funds eight positions at the station."
Loreno said the Fostoria Fire Division is the only full-time based, all-hazards emergency response agency that has specialty equipment which can be made available to any of the surrounding departments upon request.
The Fostoria Fire Division provides around-the-clock fire suppression, technical rescue, emergency medical service (EMS), fire prevention, inspections, fire safety education and fire investigation services to Fostoria and surrounding areas.
As part of Ohio Fire Chiefs' Association's Emergency Response Plan, the Fostoria Fire Division can travel anywhere in the state of Ohio upon request.
"It's critical to our community that we continue with the same level of respondence," Loreno said. "We're asking for community support to show FEMA how important the fire department is to the area."
An online petition can be signed at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fostoria-fire-division-support-petition/. Loreno said he hopes to have the petition completely signed and sent in by September 19.
Letters of support are also being accepted for the department. Loreno said letters can be dropped off at or sent to the department, 233 W. South St., or dropped off at or sent to the mayor's office, 213 S. Main St. Letters may also be sent directly to FEMA at Federal Emergency Management Agency U.S. Department of Homeland Security 500 C Street SW, Washington, D.C. 20472. Letters must contain the Fostoria Fire Division Support Application number, which is EMW-2013-FH-00418, on the letter and on the envelope.
"Letters of support are certainly reviewed and added to the process for grading," Loreno said. "Any outside support from the community, public officials, and fellow departments could make the difference."
For more information regarding the SAFER grant, visit www.fema.gov.
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