CONGRESSIONAL CLIPBOARD
Programs Lend a Helping Hand
On January 29, 1975 the oil tanker Queeny collided with the tanker Corinthos, causing the largest fire that was handled entirely by volunteers. I was assistant chief on duty that day and quickly appreciated the need for firefighting apparatus to deal with an emergency of this magnitude.
Today a 110-foot oceangoing Navy tugboat sits on the Delaware River in Pennsylvania, the largest firefighting tug manned entirely by volunteers. As the chairman of the Delaware County Council, I arranged the acquisition of the tug from the General Services Administration and had it transported from the Norfolk Naval Base—all for 53,000. The only firefighting tugs in the area are owned by the City of Philadelphia.
Perhaps every community doesn’t need a 110-foot tugboat, but most fire districts could use some help from time to time. We all know that the fire service is not a major recipient of federal assistance, but there are some programs through which the fire service can obtain at least some help from the federal government.
The Rural Community Fire Protection program. This program provides grants for organizing, training, and equipping fire departments in rural areas. Grants cannot be used for the construction or refurbishing of facilities. In this program “rural” is defined as any community with a population of 10,000 or less. However, a group of small communities whose collective population totals more than 10,000 may also be eligible for RCFP grants. Communities must match any grant on a 50-50 basis, whether with funds or planned in-kind contributions such as volunteer work.
Applications for this program should be made to the State Forester. Proposals for the formation of fire districts, wildfire and structural fire training, the upgrading of personal safety protective gear, and the purchase of federal excess property all are considered to be priority projects under the program.
The program was funded at S3.15 million for fiscal year 1990, which means that the typical grant is relatively small. The funding available to i the state of Maryland, for example, is 533,000; to Georgia, 560,000.
Community facility loans. Through the Farmer’s Home Administration (FmHA) about 594 million is available nationally for loans to develop community facilities in rural areas. Loans can be made to such publicentities as municipalities, counties, and fire protection districts for construction and improvement of essential community facilities providing fire or rescue services, as well as such public service facilities as schools and libraries. In this program “rural’’ is defined as any area or town of not more than 20,000 people. Loans are made at five percent to seven percent interest for a maximum period of 40 years, depending on the useful life of the facility.
In 1989 community facility loans ranged in size from S6,000 to $500,000. Generally speaking, the more rural the community, the better its chances of securing a loan. Applications should be made to the FmHA office in your state, which also will provide help in developing a plan for the construction and financing of the project.
Community development block grants. CDBGs are made available to states and urban communities by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for the purpose of providing decent housing and a suitable living environment to persons of low and moderate income. This can include but is not limited to the construction of fire protection facilities. Applicants should contact a local government official (such as a county executive) for information about the availability of CDBG funds. Grants can be made by the community itself, or local officials can petition for the state to provide CDBG funding for the project.
Surplus federal property. Surplus federal property can be a valuable resource for the fire service. Any public agency, including fire departments, can receive donations of federal surplus property through the General Services Administration. Contact these GSA regional offices:
Region 1 (617-565-7319) includes CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, and VT.
Region 2 (212-264-3300) includes NJ and NY.
Region 3 (215-597-7000) includes DE, MD, PA, VA, and WV.
Region 4 (404-331-2949) includes AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN.
Region 5 (312-353-5375) includes IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, and WI.
Region 6 (913-236-2504) includes IA, KS, MO, and NB.
Region 7 (817-334-4824) includes AR, LA, NM, OK, and TX.
Region 8 (303-236-7547) includes CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY.
Region 9 (206-931-7563) includes AZ, CA, HI, and NV.
Region 10 (206-931-7563) includes AK, ID, OR, and WA.
Finally, there are two bills in Congress that would provide direct assistance to the fire service if enacted:
The Benjamin Franklin Memorial Fire Service Bill of Rights (sponsored by myself) would provide grants for every fire department in America to purchase computer equipment. H.R. 3587 has 260 cosponsors and is currently being considered by the House Subcommittee on Consumer Affairs and Coinage; S. 1933, the Senate bill, has 13 cosponsors.
The National Fire Forces Mobilization Act, H.R. 3955, (sponsored by Rep. Claude Harris, D-AL) would authorize S100 million to assist rural fire departments in preparing and mobilizing for forest fire emergencies. As yet, no companion bill has been introduced in the Senate. (For more on this bill, see Dispatches on page 22.)
