Post by SIERRA 14 on Feb 15, 2006 20:02:44 GMT -5
February 14, 2006
Dear Fire Company Officer:
Enclosed is an application for a grant made available through Section 10(b)3 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (Volunteer Fire Assistance). This application must be received in Harrisburg by 4:00 pm on April 28, 2006. Do to confusion in past years, faxed applications WILL NOT be accepted. Please maintain a copy of this application for your records.
Section 10(b)3 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, as amended by the Forest Stewardship Act of 1990, authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial, technical and other assistance to state foresters or other appropriate officials in cooperative efforts to organize, train and equip local forces in rural areas or communities under 10,000 population to prevent, control and suppress fires which threaten human life, livestock, wildlife, crops, pastures, orchards, woodlands, farmsteads, or other improvements in rural areas. The key objectives of this program are to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Therefore, the selection of the participating agencies must be based on vulnerability and the adequacy of existing fire protection.
This is a cost-share program. Financial assistance on any project during any fiscal year cannot exceed 50% of the actual expenditures including expenditures of local, public and private nonprofit organizations participating in the agreement.
The maximum grant we will consider for the 2006 program is $7,500 per Fire Company.
Grants received for the 2006 program can be used for the purchase of wildfire suppression equipment, wildfire or structural protective gear, mobile or portable radios, installation of dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation, or wildfire training. Funds may also be used for certain projects involving the conversion and maintenance of federal excess vehicles received from the Bureau of Forestry and used for fire suppression. A priority will be placed on projects that include the purchase of wildland fire suppression equipment and wildland fire protective gear.
Grants received for the 2006 program cannot be used for the purchase of structural fire equipment, supply hose larger than 2½ inches in diameter, structures, routine maintenance of vehicles not received from the Bureau of Forestry, medical services, ambulance services, fire police equipment and gear, or search and rescue equipment and gear.
Purchases of individual items over $5,000 are accountable and will be inventoried until their value depreciates below $5,000.
Due to high demand and limited funding there is a 5-year waiting period between years a fire company is eligible to receive a grant.
All items approved for purchase under the 2006 VFA program must be purchased from October 1, 2005 to November 30, 2006.
Since planning is the key to the efficient and effective use of equipment, personnel and organization, priority will be given to fire companies which have established goals and objectives and have developed plans to meet them.
If you are interested in applying for a cost-share grant, please complete the enclosed application form and return it to the address at the bottom of the form. Maintain a copy for your files. In completing the form, please be specific in stating what the grant will be used for. We cannot act favorably on applications which list only “funds” as the type of assistance requested.
The fire company President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer must sign the application. Application forms signed by other individuals will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Charles C. Choplick, Forest Program Specialist, via email at cchoplick@state.pa.us or at 717-787-2925.
Dear Fire Company Officer:
Enclosed is an application for a grant made available through Section 10(b)3 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (Volunteer Fire Assistance). This application must be received in Harrisburg by 4:00 pm on April 28, 2006. Do to confusion in past years, faxed applications WILL NOT be accepted. Please maintain a copy of this application for your records.
Section 10(b)3 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978, as amended by the Forest Stewardship Act of 1990, authorizes and directs the Secretary of Agriculture to provide financial, technical and other assistance to state foresters or other appropriate officials in cooperative efforts to organize, train and equip local forces in rural areas or communities under 10,000 population to prevent, control and suppress fires which threaten human life, livestock, wildlife, crops, pastures, orchards, woodlands, farmsteads, or other improvements in rural areas. The key objectives of this program are to save lives and protect property in unprotected or inadequately protected rural areas. Therefore, the selection of the participating agencies must be based on vulnerability and the adequacy of existing fire protection.
This is a cost-share program. Financial assistance on any project during any fiscal year cannot exceed 50% of the actual expenditures including expenditures of local, public and private nonprofit organizations participating in the agreement.
The maximum grant we will consider for the 2006 program is $7,500 per Fire Company.
Grants received for the 2006 program can be used for the purchase of wildfire suppression equipment, wildfire or structural protective gear, mobile or portable radios, installation of dry hydrants, wildfire prevention and mitigation, or wildfire training. Funds may also be used for certain projects involving the conversion and maintenance of federal excess vehicles received from the Bureau of Forestry and used for fire suppression. A priority will be placed on projects that include the purchase of wildland fire suppression equipment and wildland fire protective gear.
Grants received for the 2006 program cannot be used for the purchase of structural fire equipment, supply hose larger than 2½ inches in diameter, structures, routine maintenance of vehicles not received from the Bureau of Forestry, medical services, ambulance services, fire police equipment and gear, or search and rescue equipment and gear.
Purchases of individual items over $5,000 are accountable and will be inventoried until their value depreciates below $5,000.
Due to high demand and limited funding there is a 5-year waiting period between years a fire company is eligible to receive a grant.
All items approved for purchase under the 2006 VFA program must be purchased from October 1, 2005 to November 30, 2006.
Since planning is the key to the efficient and effective use of equipment, personnel and organization, priority will be given to fire companies which have established goals and objectives and have developed plans to meet them.
If you are interested in applying for a cost-share grant, please complete the enclosed application form and return it to the address at the bottom of the form. Maintain a copy for your files. In completing the form, please be specific in stating what the grant will be used for. We cannot act favorably on applications which list only “funds” as the type of assistance requested.
The fire company President, Vice-President, Secretary or Treasurer must sign the application. Application forms signed by other individuals will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Charles C. Choplick, Forest Program Specialist, via email at cchoplick@state.pa.us or at 717-787-2925.