“Everybody Comes Home” the Focus of 2004 AFG Narrative
New Haven, Kentucky (pop. 850) -- Karl Lusk of New Haven, Kentucky, is a fourth generation firefighter who has 12 years of grant writing and reviewing experience. In 2004, Karl wrote a successful grant for FIRE Act funding to support the purchase of a Bullard Thermal Imager, SCBAs, and portable radios for the New Haven Volunteer Fire Department. On August 20, DHS announced that this department would receive $56,880 to purchase all the equipment requested. Karl used the grant assistance materials posted on www.thermalimager.com, as well as taking advantage of the free grant review from Bullard. The department purchased a Bullard T3MAX in December.
Benefits of Thermal Imaging: “The key philosophy of our department is, ‘Everybody comes home.’ During our needs assessment and pre-planning, that was our focus – we’re all going home. As a firefighter, you’ll have to take some chances, but being safe is a priority, and we prioritized firefighter safety very highly in our application. A thermal imager will allow us to fight fire better, safer and smarter. We also included in our argument that a thermal imager would help us stretch our volunteer resources by making them more effective during responses.”
Demonstrating Need: “In writing our grant, I noted the annual budget constraints, stagnant population, current debt load of the department, and the need to purchase a compliant pumper within the next two years. The fact that the incorporated limits of the town are static due to a flood plain, a river, and hilly terrain gives us a finite area for a tax base, and we don’t have the ability to annex.”
Resources Utilized: “After we identified our greatest needs, I constructed a grant with the help of sample narratives on the Bullard website and with the help of a FIRE Act workshop in my area. We also took advantage of the free grant review from Bullard.”
Keys to Success: “For any department appealing for FIRE Act money, you need to first have clarity within the department and in your application about what the department really needs. Pay attention to the criteria for writing the application. Read the DHS website, attend a FIRE Act grants workshop, and follow directions! It helps to review successfully funded grants for similar needs. Do not copy them, but use this as a way to understand how to organize data and information, and to project a valid case statement. Finally, request objective reviews of your application before you submit; if awarded, perform as you proposed. Do what you said you’d do!”