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Another Year of Fireman’s Fund Heritage

Helping Gulf Coast Fire Departments

Meet Our Advisory Committee

December 2006

Helping Gulf Coast Fire Departments

		"These grants to fire departments affected by Katrina were given in such a way as to have the greatest impact on the fire and rescue service. I was honored to be part of the Fireman's Fund evaluation team." — Chief Dennis L. Rubin, Atlanta Fire Rescue Department, Atlanta, Ga.

Last year, in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Fireman's Fund announced a plan to help fire departments devastated by the unprecedented storm. In the rush to help communities rebuild, large amounts of aid have gone to the region, the vast majority of which has gone to individuals. (This includes a $1 million contribution made by our parent company, Allianz.) But Katrina didn't just uproot individuals. It also devastated the infrastructure of an entire region, and will affect vital services in the area for years to come. Area fire departments suffered tremendous losses.

Fireman's Fund believes it's critical to remember local fire departments and provide them the tools they need to move forward. We are proud to announce that six New Orleans-area fire departments will receive grants ranging between $15,000 to more than $80,000, aimed at filling critical equipment voids in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

How Funds Were Raised and Distributed

The plan to help Gulf fire departments started with an initial commitment from Fireman's Fund of $250,000 — plus a pledge to match any additional funds raised by our employees, who ended up raising nearly $15,000 in fundraisers across the country. These included a "Fat Tuesday" fundraiser and Cajun food kickoff in our Atlanta office and, in San Diego, a fundraising barbeque with lunch grilled up and served by local firefighters.

In the meantime, we looked for the best way to steer funds to areas that were not simply damaged, but were also facing greater demand for resources as they are re-built and re-settled, sometimes with more residents than before. In consultation with state Fire Marshals, we used an RFP-process in which area departments were invited to submit proposals to us. A panel consisting of members of our Heritage Advisory Committee, along with local Fireman's Fund personnel, reviewed the submissions and scored entries by criteria including need, impact, and the regional situation.

The Recipients

Here are the grant amounts and type of equipment each department will receive:

• Covington Fire Department, Covington, La. — $43,262 for communications upgrades allowing the department to meet future federal guidelines and create radio interoperability between fire crews and other city departments
• David Crockett Steam Fire Company #1, Gretna, La. — $46,013 for interface communication system (with radios and components) enabling multiple departments, with different radio frequencies, to communicate together
• Gould Volunteer Fire Company, Gretna, La. — $15,328 for 30 Minitor communication pagers, enabling more efficient dispatch and response by personnel.
• Harvey Volunteer Fire Company #2, Harvey, La. — $81,270 for mobile radios enabling interoperability with other departments and personnel.
• St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District #3, Lacombe, La. — $39,645 for fire safety training house for children: this educational tool simulates fire and smoke conditions in a home, teaching kids escape techniques and fire safety tips.
• St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District #4, Mandeville, La. — $52,881 for 3,000 feet of large-diameter water supply hose. Five engines and one ladder truck will be outfitted with all new hose.
   

Emphasis on Communications Equipment

Most grant recipients will use the money for communication upgrades and enhancements. After the hurricane, departments from all across the country descended on the area to help, but it was virtually impossible for the agencies to communicate because their radios operated on different frequencies.

David Crockett Steam Fire Company #1, for instance, will purchase a new interface communication system that can bridge together different frequencies so fire crews from multiple departments can talk to one another. As Assistant Chief Michael Labruzza explains, "This new system will benefit the entire area, not just our department. Once it's up and running, our neighboring agencies will be able to use it as well, during any large-scale emergency."