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US Fire
Grant Support
| The fire grants announced for the 2011 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFG)
Round 3 - $14,799,885
Round 4 - $18,826,453
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GAC Legislative Update: Obama Budget Proposal
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This month President Obama released his FY 2013 budget request to Congress. His Department of Homeland Security proposed budget provides a total of $2.9 billion for FEMA state and local grant programs a $500 million increase from FY 2012 appropriation levels. Of this $ 2.9 billion, $670 million would go to firefighter assistance grants: $335 million for the Assistance to Firefighters (AFG) program and $335 million for SAFER, a modest $2.5 million cut for each program.
The President also proposed creation of a new National Preparedness Grant Program that would have two parts: 1) a formula program distributing funds to states and some Urban Area Security Initiative activities, and 2) a competitive program to states and regions for specific policy areas including critical infrastructure, counterterrorism, and transportation. Programs such as State Homeland Security Grants, Urban Area Security Initiative Grants, Transportation and Infrastructure Protection-Rail-Port-Bus, Operation Stonegarden, Metropolitan Medical Response System/Medical Surge Grants, REAL ID Implementation Grants, and Citizen Corps would be eliminated and folded into the National Preparedness Grant program. It is important to note that this restructuring would require separate authorization legislation. The President's budget proposal also includes $350 million for Emergency Management Performance Grants. Separate from the FEMA Grant Programs, The President proposed $1 billion for a First Responder Stabilization Fund, which would be used to retain, hire or rehire new firefighters. This provision reflects the President's earlier jobs creation proposals. The National Fire Administration's budget would be cut by $1.52 million, leaving its overall FY 2013 budget at $42.52 million.
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2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week
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 The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) are pleased to announce that the 2012 International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week will be held the week of June 17-23, 2012.
As in past years, Safety and Health Week 2012 will be a collaborative effort of the fire and emergency service involving the major organizations as part of the grassroots effort to promote the event and have a positive impact on all fire/EMS personnel. We invite you to participate again this year because your involvement is critical to Safety and Health Week's success. At this time, we are asking each participating organization to:- Confirm your organization's willingness to take part again this year.
- Provide updated point of contact information (if applicable).
- Commit to promote the event through by linking to the Safety and Health Week from your website and sharing announcements with your members and other interested parties.
The theme this year is Rules You Can Live By Please confirm your interest in participating by March 7, 2012. Once you have committed to taking part, please let us know what vehicles your organization has to distribute program information and how the IAFC and NVFC can support you and the other partners in promoting the event. We will soon be sending out some Safety and Health Week graphics that you can include on your website to link to the event's website.
A New Look for 2012
International Fire/EMS Safety and Health Week marks the unification of the IAFC's Fire/EMS Safety, Health and Survival Week with the NVFC's National Firefighter Health Week. The most noticeable change for fire and EMS departments is a new, user-friendly website dedicated exclusively to Safety and Health Week: www.SafetyAndHealthWeek.org.
To learn more see the complete media release:
IAFC and NVFC Join Forces for 2012 Safety and Health Week: Campaign reinforces the Rules You Can Live By on and off the fire ground
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Congress Approves D-Block for Public Safety
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 On Friday, February 17th, Congress approved legislation to extend the current Social Security payroll tax rate and long-term unemployment benefits before leaving for the Presidents' Day recess this weekend. Included in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act, H.R. 3630, is a provision to allocate 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz bandwidth (known as the D-block) to public safety for the creation of a nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network.
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The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatalities:
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Name: Mark G. Ratledge
Rank: Fire Captain
Age: 35
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 9
Date of Incident: 02/29/2012
Time of Incident: 0610hrs
Date of Death: 02/29/2012
Fire Department: Cottonwood Fire Protection District
Address: PO Box 618, 3271 Brush ST, Cottonwood, CA 96022
Fire Department Chief: Calvin Ciapponi
Incident Description: Fire Captain Ratledge was struck and killed by a vehicle while working at the scene of a traffic collision on Interstate 5.
Incident Location: Southbound Interstate 5 near the Shasta Livestock Auction Yard.
Funeral Arrangements: Pending. Memorials may be made in honor of Captain Ratledge to the Mark Ratledge Memorial Fund, North Valley Bank, 20635 Gas Point RD, Cottonwood, CA 96022 (http://novb.com/).
Tribute is being paid to Fire Captain Mark G. Ratledge at http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
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Name: Gerald "Jerry" R. Wetherell
Rank: Firefighter/EMT
Age: 74
Gender: Male
Status: Paid-on-Call
Years of Service: 35
Date of Incident: 02/28/2012
Time of Incident: Pending
Date of Death: 02/28/2012
Fire Department: Denton Township Fire Department
Address: PO Box 289, Prudenville, MI 48651
Fire Department Chief: Paul Tiepel
Incident Description: Firefighter/EMT Wetherell and another firefighter were responding, towing the fire department's snowmobile, to a motor vehicle accident in which the operator of a snowmobile had hit a tree. While responding, Firefighter/EMT Wetherell became unresponsive. He was transported, via ambulance, to the hospital in West Branch, Michigan, where he succumbed to his injury. The nature of this injury is yet to be reported.
Incident Location: Pending
Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter/EMT Gerald "Jerry" R. Wetherell at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/
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Name: Jeremy Tighe
Rank: Firefighter/EMT
Age: 18
Gender: Male
Status: Volunteer
Years of Service: 1
Date of Incident: 02/22/2012
Time of Incident: 2030
Date of Death: 02/22/2012
Fire Department: McCutchanville Fire Department
Address: 9219 Petersburg RD, Evansville, IN 47725
Fire Department Chief: Duane Halsema
Incident Description: Firefighter Tighe passed away from injuries sustained when the apparatus he was riding in was involved in a single motor vehicle accident. According to initial reports, the apparatus left the roadway onto the shoulder and tipped on its' side, striking a power utility pole causing extensive damage to the crew compartment, before coming to a final resting position in a drainage ditch.
Firefighter Tighe was reported to have been wearing seat restraints. The driver of the apparatus, Lieutenant Brandon Cason, was taken to the hospital where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries. The engine had cleared the scene of a residential carbon monoxide check, stopped for fuel, and was returning to the station when the incident occurred.
Incident Location: North St. Joe Avenue and Meier RD in Vanderburgh County, IN (USNG: 16S DH 47472 11033)
Funeral Arrangements: Pending
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter/EMT Jeremy Tighe at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/ ___________________________ Name: Matt Waller
Rank: Firefighter/Fire Marshal
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Status: Career
Years of Service: 29
Date of Incident: 02/16/2012
Time of Incident: 1330hrs
Date of Death: 02/25/2012
Fire Department: Memphis Fire Department
Address: 721 W Robertson ST, Memphis, TX 79245
Fire Department Chief: Wiley Davis
Incident Description: Firefighter/Fire Marshal Waller passed away from a stroke he suffered while on-duty at the fire station.
Incident Location: 721 W Robertson ST, Memphis, TX 79245
Funeral Arrangements: Services will be at 1400hrs, 02/28/2012, at the First Baptist Church with the Rev. Daniel Downey officiating. Burial will follow in Fairview Cemetery. Arrangements are by Hughs Funeral Home of Memphis. (http://www.hughsfuneralhome.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1406213&fh_id=10265)
Tribute is being paid to Firefighter/Fire Marshal Matt Waller at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/ To date, 15 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2012. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm Source: FEMA
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