UNIQUE EXAMPLES OF VFA FUNDING

Periodically, the responsible units should submit unique examples of their VFA accomplishments to the Washington Office. A national composite will be developed and distributed by Washington Office Fire and Aviation Management. Examples of unique VFA projects display innovative ways of providing enhanced fire protection to rural areas and communities.

Following are some unique examples of VFA projects that have enhanced rural fire protection and rural development in the United States.

Funding was provided for:

   Upgrading a community water supply system by installing dry fire hydrants. This project helped meet water supply needs for interagency wildland and urban interface fires as well as meeting the fire protection needs of the community.

   Organizing a rural fire department. Establishment of this department enabled property owners to obtain fire insurance, which they had either been unable to obtain at all, or were able to obtain only at great cost, prior to establishment of the fire department. Subsequent upgrading of the fire department resulted in further reductions of insurance premiums.

   Converting a 21-foot boat to a fireboat. The boat was obtained through the FEPP program. This boat permitted access to properties without roads and enabled 50 percent of the property owners to obtain fire insurance.

   Constructing a mobile "Fire Safety House" to use for exit drill training for children. This State-constructed unit is available for use statewide.

   Developing a training program for multifire department responses. Structural firefighters were trained in wildland firefighting, including safety, fire behavior, structural triage, foam use, preplanning, and tactics for wildland/urban responses.

   Training female firefighters to suppress fires. During the normal workweek most male firefighters were unavailable as they were employed outside the community. Incorporating women into the fire department upgraded the capability of the fire department to protect the community 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

   Development of mobile computerized training simulators by two States to train local firefighters in wildland fire suppression.

   Instructing rural firefighters in basic fire suppression through training scholarships.

   Acquiring videos and supplemental training guides for instructing rural firefighters of all 27 fire departments in a county.

   Conducting Incident Command System courses for rural fire departments. Two teams of instructors travel statewide to present courses.

   Development of "Fire Alert" by a county fire protection association. A fire prevention magazine targets children at the fifth grade level and below. The magazine has many agency uses and wide distribution across the State.

   Developing public fire safety tips and prevention messages for release by the local news media.

   Construction of a trailer-mounted portable breathing apparatus refill system by a county. The trailer is available for dispatch anywhere in the county.

   Conducting a door-to-door risk assessment in a county with high wildfire risk in wildland/urban areas.

   Identifying and mapping wildland/urban interface problem areas on quadrangle maps. A tri-county group will use a computer-aided design system and follow-up with a GIS platform for prevention and suppression planning on all lands.

   Developing a method to evaluate the effectiveness of wildfire protection programs designed to protect homes in the wildland environment. Considerations include adequacy of water supplies, effects on fire insurance rates, zoning, and land-use planning involving all cooperators.

   Implementing a cooperative wildland/urban interface demonstration project. This project is the first of its kind in the State. The project will have a full-time coordinator and representation from the insurance industry, county planning agency, RFD's, and other interested representatives of the rural fire community.

   Establishing a rollover account for centralized purchasing of personal protective gear such as turnout clothing. Fire departments purchase these items from the State at a considerable cost savings.

   Upgrading a five-county interdepartment radio communications system, including mobile and handheld radios, base stations, and repeaters.