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The Tennessee Fire Safety Inspectors
Association (TFSIA) has received a grant
of $592,510 from the 2005 Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program administered
by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security.
With FY05 funds, $650 million will
provide direct assistance to thousands
of fire departments and organizations
throughout the country. The TFSIA will
use funds for delivery of Fire Team USA,
a workshop series that brings public
policy makers, fire chiefs, building
officials, water purveyors, and fire
marshals together to learn about fire
sprinklers and how they can be an
effective strategic planning tool and
resource for their community.
The
grant idea was first formulated when
Shane Ray, Pleasant View Volunteer Fire
Department Chief, conducted research for
an Executive Fire Officer Program
research project that focused on why
fire chiefs did not lead fire sprinkler
efforts. The research indicated that
many fire chiefs did not feel it was
“worth the political battle” to pursue
fire sprinkler legislation.
“Fire Team Tennessee has brought
together the necessary statistics, tools
and resources and delivered them to the
stakeholders who can do something good
with the information,” explains Chief
Ray. “It is rewarding to see my research
work make a difference. The communities
that we reach with this message will be
better prepared as they grow, and it is
great to help them plan for a future
that includes fire protection.”
Vickie Pritchett, of Pleasant View,
will serve as project manager of the
grant.
Vickie will be working with Jim Dalton,
NFSA Director of Public Fire Protection,
Shane Ray, Pleasant View Volunteer Fire
Department Fire Chief, and Wayne
Waggoner, of the Tennessee Fire Safety
Inspectors Association to deliver the
Fire Team USA conference to 10 states in
2006. Fire Team USA is a collaborative
effort between the National Fire
Sprinkler Association, the Tennessee
Fire Safety Inspectors Association
and the Pleasant View Volunteer Fire
Department that addresses the economics
of various fire safety issues within
communities across the United States,
including residential fire sprinkler
ordinance adoption. The work of Fire
Team USA was piloted in Tennessee in
2005 with a FY04 grant called Fire Team
Tennessee, and proved to be successful
in communities across the Volunteer
state.
“I’ve been in the business of educating
folks about residential fire sprinklers
for 25 years, and it is refreshing to
see and be involved in this effort,”
explains Jim Dalton, of the National
Fire Sprinkler Association. “The
resources are available, the technology
is proven, all we need is for caring and
committed leaders to step up to the
plate and create the plan that works
best for their community. It’s exciting
to be a part of this initiative,
building upon the success of Fire Team
Tennessee and taking this important
information to the nation.”
“We recognize the importance of the
Fire Act Grants to our nation’s fire
departments and we will continue to work
closely with the fire service community
to meet their needs,” said Matt A Mayer,
Acting Executive Director of Office for
State and Local Government Coordination
and Preparedness.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program assists local fire departments
to purchase firefighting equipment, fund
firefighter health and safety programs,
enhance emergency medical services
programs, and conduct fire education and
prevention programs throughout the
United States.
“The Assistance to Firefighters Grants
ensures that the nation’s firefighters
continue to have the basic capability
they require to do their jobs, improve
safety and save lives” said David
Paulison, Acting Undersecretary for the
Department of Homeland Security's
Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program is administered by the
Department of Homeland Security in
cooperation with the Department’s United
States Fire Administration.
For more information on Fire Team USA,
contact us at 615-533-0305, or email us
at
FireTeamUSA@aol.com. The website,
www.fireteamusa.com, should be up
and running by next week. For more
information on the Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program, please visit
the Program Website at
http://www.firegrantsupport.com/,
or contact the Grants Program Office at
1-866-274-0960. For more information on
USFA, please visit the Website at
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/
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