FY2002 NFP Request for Proposals

FY2002 NFP Request for Proposals

Enclosure 3A - Project Summary Form

NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS

Application for Wildland Urban Interface Fuels / Education and

Prevention / Community Planning for Fire Protection Projects

Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Clark County Fire Protection District No. 2
Phone: / FAX: / Email:
360-225-7076 / 360-225-1201 /
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
PO Box 9, Woodland, WA, 98674
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Chief Rob Dahl
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Clark County Fire Dist. 2
Phone: / FAX: / Email:
360-225-7076 / 360-225-1201 /
Project Information
Project Title:
WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE AREA RISK REDUCTION
Proposed Project Start Date: / Proposed Project End Date:
June 1, 2004 / November 30, 2004
Federal Funding Request: / Total Project Funding:
$17,000 / $38,540
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
No
Brief Project Description:
Develop a Community Action plan for wildland fire risk reduction, including the continued delivery of residential fire risk surveys, prescriptions and assistance for fuels reduction, education of residents and the community on hazards of wildland fires in the urban interface areas and methods for reducing the risk, assisting property owners with achieving desired fuels reduction and creating defensible space, while also identifying high risk areas within the fire district and improving our ability to locate and access those areas in the time of an emergency. We have wholely embraced the FIREWISE program and hope to use this project to continue our efforts to fully implement this program and its concepts into our community. This is a "grass-roots" project which produces direct tangible results to rural landowners, and adjoining state and federal lands in the reduction of wildfire risks and improved response to wildfire incidents.
Project Location (latitude/longitude if applicable): / County: / Congressional District:
T5N, R1E, multiple sections / Clark / 18
Project Type: Check appropriate project type. More than one type may be checked. If only Box (4) is checked, use Enclosure 4.
(1) Wildland Urban Interface Fuels Project
(2) Wildland Urban Interface Education and Prevention Project / (3) Community Planning for Fire Protection Project
(4) Fuels Utilization and Marketing Project
If the applicant is an unincorporated area, define the geographic area being represented:
Established legal boundaries of Clark County Fire Protection District No. 2, Clark County, Washington
Enclosure 3B (Page 1 of 3) - Project Narrative Description
Applications for funding must include a narrative response that describes the proposal. Please do not submit responses longer than one page, single space, 12-pitch font.
Describe project including, but not limited to:
Address these items as applicable: /
  • project location
  • project implementation
  • anticipated outcomes
  • measures and reporting
  • interagency partners
/
  • project relationship to community or natural landscape fire plans
  • project time frames and income
  • specify types of activities and equipment used
  • amount or extent of actions (acres, number of homes, etc)
  • environmental, cultural and historical resource requirements

Response: The entire area encompassing Fire District #2 is located in the forested foothills of the Cascade mountain range, along the scenic Lewis River Valley. The area is mostly under private ownership and varies in its accessibility. Clark County is said to be the fastest growing county in the state and many people are building homes in this densely forested region, an area measured by Washington Department of Natural Resources as "high risk," in episodes of wildland fires. A general lack of education in regards to wildland dangers and the creation of defensible space, coupled with a general attitude of "it won't happen here," have added greatly to the risks in this community.
This project, if funded, will allow our department to further develop a long-term project aimed at changing this attitude and educating the general public in the best ways to reduce their risk and protect themselves from wild fires, as well as improve our ability to locate these homes and respond rapidly to emergencies of all kinds, especially wildfire incidents, which in turn will improve the survivability of the entire community.
This area has many homes located amongst forested hillsides with varied levels of access, some very poor and most with no visible addresses, making it very difficult to locate them quickly in times of fire or other emergency. This area is also subject to strong, drying East winds funnelled through the Lewis River Valley. There is an extreme sense of urgency, with the extended drought in the Pacific Northwest, to inform the public of the risks of wildfire and educate them on what they might do to improve their chances for survival in the event of a fire. We have entered into a partnership with the Washington Department of Natural Resources, to directly work with qualifying landowners in specific fuels reduction efforts, to enhance their safety even more and to implement and carry out FIREWISE programming in our community.
This area is protected with an entirely volunteer fire fighting force, with limited resources, staff, funding and an already high level of service demand. This has created the need to provide dedicated paid staffing to this program. Our proposal would be to hire two (2) seasonal employees to carry out this program. Our goals is to build on the success of previous years programs and to contact at least 300 homes over the course of this year's project.
The primary objective of this program is public education, primarily on the means which homeowners can use to protect their property from wildfire and to prevent a house fire from spreading into the forest lands. Secondary objectives include the opportunity for the fire district to develop a more comprehensive vision as to the problem areas in the district. Factors relative to evacuation, resources and property values involved, will be critical in the development of an overall community pre-fire plan.
In addition to the obvious, benefits to this project include the saving of human lives and the prevention of property loss and damage to natural resources and wildlife.
Enclosure 3B (Page 2 of 3)- Project Evaluation Criteria
Applications for funding must include narrative responses that address the following four criteria. Within each criterion, sub-criteria are listed in descending order of importance. Limit your responses to the areas provided.
  1. Reducing Fire Risk. (40 points))

  1. Describe how the proposal promotes reduction of risk in high hazard areas or communities, or natural landscapes.
  2. Describe how the proposed project benefits resources on federal land or adjacent non-federal land, or how it protects the safety of communities.
  3. To what extent does the project implement or create a cooperative (1) fuels treatment plan or (2) community fire strategy (include evidence of the plan if it already exists)?
  4. Explain to what extent the affected community or proponent has been involved or plans to involve the affected community in a qualified fuels education program (e.g., FIREWISE).
  5. Explain how the proposal (1) leads to, enhances or restores a local fire-adapted ecosystem, and/or (2) mitigates or leads to the mitigation of hazardous fuel conditions.
  6. How will the proposed treatments or programs be maintained in future years?

Response:The major emphasis of this program is to reduce the overall risk of property and life loss from wildfire within the area of Fire District #2, approximately 35 square miles. This area has been designated as a high risk area in previous assessments by Washington Department of Natural Resources.
Specifically, a reduction of fuels around homes, more fire resistive construction, improved road access and better address signing will all lead to more effective fire protection for homes and the natural resources of the district, including the wildlife. It further reduces the chance of fire spread to nearby state and federal lands.
The project goal is to make personal contact with 300 landowners. In the previous two years, we have contacted over 550 homes, with over 80% complying with specific fuels reduction recommendations and other improvements as indicated by follow-up phone surveys and personal contacts/site visits. The direct tangible and documented success of this program make it a good investment of these public funds at the grass-roots level.
This project will enhance a specific fuel reduction program being undertaken by the WA-DNR by identifying at risk homes and referring homeowners to the DNR program which will potentially fund their fuel reduction efforts. This cooperation greatly enhances the possibility that homeowners will actually carry out the recommended improvements.
  1. Increasing local capacity. (30 points)

  1. How would the proposal improve or lead to the improvement of the local economy in terms of jobs and sustainable economic activity? How many jobs are expected to be created or retained and for how long (please distinguish between essentially year-round and seasonal jobs)? How will this proposal link to toher projects (or proposed projects) to create year-round jobs?
  2. To what extent will this project be offered to serve as a model for other communities or natural landscapes?
  3. Will biomass or forest fuels be utilized; if so, in what manner and how much?

Response:This project hopes to create a marked improvement in the creation of defensible space around the homes located within this interface area, primarily due to the direct opportunity to educate, inform and involve the homeowners in their own personal safety. Last year we directly contacted over 300 homeowners and proved the effectiveness of the project through compliance with fuels reduction plans that were issued and later inspected. Several inaccessible roadways are now improved to accessible standards, and several high-risk homes have greatly enhanced their survivability directly through this program.
This project has been met with great appreciation from property owners and has proven its success in the creation of safer communities through fuels reduction, creation of defensible space, improved mapping and access, etc.
Two (2) local, seasonal, full-time jobs will be created for approximately five (5) months. Students from the local community college Fire Science program will be the primary pool of applicants for these positions, thus increasing their training and their market worth once graduating.
We have modeled this program to other surrounding communities who have chosen to adopt similar or identical programs based on our proven success.
Enclosure 3B (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
  1. Increasing interagency and intergovernmental coordination. (15 Points)

  1. Describe how this project implements a local intergovernmental strategy or plan, or creates such a plan. Describe the plan if it already exists.
  2. Explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning through a “Local Coordination Group” for wildland fire activities, or among federal, state, tribal, local government and community organizations. List the cooperators (a detailed list of cooperators will be required for projects that are funded).

Response:Washington Department of Natural Resources is cooperating with us in this venture by providing training on the method of surveying properties and recommending strategies for fuel reduction, providing FIREWISE materials (door hangers, etc.), assisting in marketing of the FIREWISE concept and program and looking to us to identify areas for concentrating their fuels reduction program and strategies. In-kind support has also been dedicated by WA-DNR for communications tools and other needed items. The Fire Chief and program manager continue to be key participants in the local FIREWISE coordination group and continue our efforts to make this program an effective one.
Clark County Public Safety Education Coalition has provided the address signs and other essential mapping tools such as GPS, etc.
Neighboring fire districts are conducting similar, if not identical programs, increasing the overall community benefit and effect of this program. Fire District #2, taxpayers and homeowners are all cooperating in this effort and have received support from the North Lewis River Valley Neighborhood Association, Clark County Fire Marshal, Lewis River and Woodland Chambers of Commerce and others, in conducting outreach activities.
State and Federal agencies have developed the guidelines we will be using for the actual surveys, and as stated, WA-DNR will be providing direct training and oversight of the surveys to ensure quality, accuracy and consistency.
  1. Expanding Community Participation. (15 Points)

  1. To what extent have interested individuals, groups, and communities been provided an opportunity to become informed and involved in this proposal?
  2. Describe the extent of local support or opposition for the project, including any cost-sharing arrangements.
  3. What are the environmental, social and educational benefits or concerns of the project?

Response:This would be a continuation of a project which in the past three years has proven very valuable in our efforts to educate our community and build partnerships with property owners toward overall fire prevention strategies. Specific media coverage, community FIREWISE workshops, public presentations, newsletters and direct mailings have all added to the level of information and education. We have been able to manage and budget additional local support for this program. However, due to local budgeting constraints, without these federal grant funds, these efforts can not take place..
As stated, neighborhood associations, chambers of commerce and others have joined in our efforts and have assisted with outreach activities. Local charitable organizations have provided support and funding for tools to conduct surveys and complete mapping goals,e tc.
The Fire Chief and the program manager have been trained and have become part of a regional FIREWISE education team, conducting these workshops in this and other communities to build additional community support and partnerships.
We continue to receive more positive public comments about this particular program than any other!
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks / Time Frame / Responsible Party
Media Contacts, News release, Strategic plan development / Begin 5/1/04 / Chief Dahl
Recruit and Hire Project Team / 6/1-6/15 / Chief Dahl
Team Member Training / 6/15-6/20 / Staff
Begin Field Contacts/Surveys / 6/21 / Project Team
Progress Review/Report / 7/15
9/1
10/15 / Chief Dahl
Follow-up contacts / inspections / 10/1-10/15 / Project Team
Telephone surveys for compliance data / 10/1-10/15 / Project Team
Media contacts / news release / finalize contact data / reports
Final Report / Terminate project / 11/1
11/1-11/30
11/30/04 / Chief Dahl
Project Team
Chief Dahl

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Enclosure 4D - Project Budget

Cost Category
Description / Federal
Agency / Applicant / Partner 1 / Partner 2 / Total
Personnel / $0.00
2080 hrs @$12 per hr / $17,000.00 / $7,960.00 / $24,960.00
Supervision / Clerical / $2,500.00 / $2,500.00
Subtotal / $17,000.00 / $10,460.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $27,460.00
Fringe Benefits / $0.00
SSI / Medicaid / $1,500.00 / $1,650.00 / $3,150.00
Industrial Insurance / $300.00 / $300.00
Subtotal / $1,500.00 / $1,950.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $3,450.00
Travel / $0.00
Fuel Costs / $800.00 / $800.00
Vehicle Rental / $1,500.00 / $1,500.00
Subtotal / $0.00 / $2,300.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $2,300.00
Equipment / $0.00
Portable Radios / $1,500.00 / $1,500.00
Address signs / mapping tool / $1,500.00 / $1,500.00
Subtotal / $0.00 / $0.00 / $1,500.00 / $1,500.00 / $3,000.00
Supplies / $0.00
Uniforms / PPE / $2,500.00 / $2,500.00
Printing / Materials / $700.00 / $1,200.00 / $1,900.00
Subtotal / $0.00 / $3,200.00 / $1,200.00 / $0.00 / $4,400.00
Contractual / $0.00
Vehicle Insurance / $1000.00 / $1,000.00
$0.00
Subtotal / $0.00 / $1,000.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $1,000.00
Other / $0.00
Employee overtime / $2,000.00 / $2,000.00
$0.00
Subtotal / $0.00 / $2,000.00 / $0.00 / $0.00 / $2,000.00
Total Costs / $18,500.00 / $20,910.00 / $2,700.00 / $1,500.00 / $43,610.00
Project (Program) Income[1] / $0.00

1 Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program income can be made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real property or equipment acquired with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant or cooperative agreement. The use of Program Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.

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