Want vs. Need - FD Criticized for 1 Million Dollar Fire Boat

[JetPhoto 626]

I agree with the writers, this department took on way too much!

They should have had a plan in place before they went to the Fed's for the grant. Perhaps they should have went in partners with the police if they wanted all the law enforcement extras. They should have gotten marine training and improved their responses on land first.

Fire volunteers' dream boat is a major drain

July 30, 2012|By Monica Yant Kinney, Inquirer Columnist

What's a tiny volunteer fire company in Bensalem doing with a $1 million taxpayer-funded fireboat tricked out to troll the Delaware River for blazes, bodies, terrorists, and IEDs?

Nothing, besides preening for festival crowds and crashing into objects seen and unseen.

The tale of how the dysfunctional Union Fire Company won a wad of Homeland Security money to buy a state-of-the-art terror-taming boat screams post-9/11 planning at its nuttiest.

The volunteers' bold play to dabble in regional law enforcement has soured relations with Bensalem's paid police department. Two Union chiefs have resigned as a result of boat acrimony and embarrassing accidents. And just maintaining the vessel is draining the fire company's meager resources

Union members insist they "aren't yahoos," but rather, everyday heroes risking their lives for free. Yet even the chief admits they look like showboaters on the big-boy toy.

With fewer than 30 active members - only a handful of whom even live in Bensalem - Union already "scratches," or fails to respond to, nearly a third of its emergency calls. When they make rare marine runs, it's usually to recover bodies. Until this year, the firefighters took off in a modest motorboat to guffaws at a nearby yacht club.

"They're horrible. It's like a comedy of errors when they launch," says Bill Burke, the club's former commodore. "I've seen them put a boat in without the plug in."

Although history suggests otherwise, the firefighters swear there's a genuine need on the upper Delaware for a superboat that can break through ice and pump 4,500 gallons a minute.

Because "Marine 37" was built with federal funds, Union can't give the $1 million fireboat away. And it can't sell her on Craigslist.

"The boat is on FEMA's radar," confirms Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Kevin McCormack, chief of contingency planning and force readiness on the Delaware. The likeliest scenario: FEMA seizes the boat, then searches for a federal, state, or local fire agency with the need and means to use her for the public good.

"But that's not something that would happen quickly," he cautions, and the firefighters could lose the $262,150 they invested in the vessel.

Union's new chief, Jim Barford, hopes the officials relent but acknowledges: "We're in unchartered waters."

His predecessor, Vince Troisi, still can't fathom how well-meaning volunteers are villains for accepting what was offered to them. To "Marine 37," he says goodbye and good riddance.

"From the day we got that boat," he gripes, "it's been nothing but a headache."

http://articles.phil...ar-union-chiefs

[bigrig77 95]

Nice boat. Of course that money could have gone to a worthy cause. Seems like the people who award the grants don't really do any fact checking on the applications. How can a small department that does not have a strong showing get a million dollar grant for a boat that is not needed? I mean back in 2001 i could see this happening when they were just thorwing money at departments. I would think with this economy, they would be checking and rechecking all these applications.

[FDNYDCHI 38]

that's Crazy

[INIT915 1,119]

Well, given some responses on quasi-related posts, it doesn't really matter. If a department says they "need" it, then they "need" it, right? Doesn't matter what unbiased, independant observers say, does it?

[calhobs 110]

Well, given some responses on quasi-related posts, it doesn't really matter. If a department says they "need" it, then they "need" it, right? Doesn't matter what unbiased, independant observers say, does it?

That all depends, if the Department is from Westchester, Rockland, Putnum, or Dutchess. It is considered bashing. But if the Department is from outside those counties it is considered need to ask that question.

[antiquefirelt 994]

Nice boat. Of course that money could have gone to a worthy cause. Seems like the people who award the grants don't really do any fact checking on the applications. How can a small department that does not have a strong showing get a million dollar grant for a boat that is not needed? I mean back in 2001 i could see this happening when they were just thorwing money at departments. I would think with this economy, they would be checking and rechecking all these applications.

They have a pretty decent program to evaluate the applications, but how honest the departments are is certainly at question. Given the review process takes place in Emmitsburg and doesn't entail any roadtrips and to my knowledge do not require further review beyond the application, a creative writer can make a case for the "need" where if a reviewer was in the same town, see the application as a "want". Some very needed equipment will not get funded due to poor grant writing or failure to meet guidelines, while others hire professional grant writers to get what they want.

We have been awarded 3 or 4 AFG's, but in the last few years not applied as when the grants came out we looked at what we needed and had to really think about it, thus it seems we don't have a true need. Many FD's found that they could buy tons of things they never dreamed of having, and likely didn't need.

Ultimately, IMO, grant programs that are taxpayer funded cost taxpayers more than they should as they typically take the money locally (from your taxpayers) bring it to DC, pay some people to run the program, then re-distribute the money to local areas. This allows some places to buy things their community's would never buy at full price, but couldn't turn down at a 20% match cost. So 100% of the money goes to DC, 80% goes back, we lose 20%, I guess we write it off to job creation. Of course this reaches far further than AFG's and is done across all ranges of government services. Sure there are places that have needs, but why are we all paying for some town that refuses to put enough money in their budget for turnout gear? The FD should instead tell them they cannot do more than spray water from afar if they choose not to properly fund them. Some Homeland Security stuff might need to be done in the current manner given the problem is far more regional than most typical fire issues.

[SageVigiles 1,194]

My department put in for an AFG grant for turnout gear this year. I have new members joining all the time but our annual budget from the District is only $4,500.00. Subtract building and apparatus maintenance, insurance, etc and there isn't a whole lot left to have a meaningful turnout gear replacement program. And given that we're in a pretty urban neighborhood with mostly low-income housing, our fundraising efforts leave a lot to be desired.

For some of us AFG is the only shot we have.

[antiquefirelt 994]

My department put in for an AFG grant for turnout gear this year. I have new members joining all the time but our annual budget from the District is only $4,500.00. Subtract building and apparatus maintenance, insurance, etc and there isn't a whole lot left to have a meaningful turnout gear replacement program. And given that we're in a pretty urban neighborhood with mostly low-income housing, our fundraising efforts leave a lot to be desired.

For some of us AFG is the only shot we have.

IO'm not trying to say there isn't a need, but at some point your taxpayers have to determine what they want and you have to help sell it to them. If you cannot keep members in proper/safe PPE, the community needs to know how that effects them. I'm not sure how my taxpayers helping you by funding your gear work out when your taxpayers are funding my breathing air system, exhaust extraction or how any of us are better off paying for some yahoo FD's super fireboat.

[bigrig77 95]

I agree it is a great program and alot of departments have benefited from it, my department included. It just seems a few phone calls would have put this application on the back burner. They said they were working with 2 departments but the article auther found out that they had no contract with these departments. If the government called any department, the chief would give them a few minutes to clear stuff out.

Having a great grant writer is great, i am sure there are guys who could sell ice to an eskimo, but some background checking has to be done. This is big money here. A boat or a rig are a million dollars. Doleing out dollars for gear is a little lest of a sting since the amount might not be sooo outragous. I am sure the local counties departments would love to have this vessel. Would be great on the Hudson or out on the Sound. Just my opinon.

[antiquefirelt 994]

I should note that it appears this likely wouldn't have been an AFG purchase, I'm pretty sure fireboats are pretty far down their list of priorities. That likely being the case, I have no knowledge of the vetting process for other Federal DHS grants.

[Jybehofd 85]

if you look around you will find more places that blow grant money. i wonder if the people who award the grant look into if there is an actual need for them to have the grant. but just proves the pen is mighty, and you can word anything the right way in the proper hands.

[JetPhoto 626]

Union Fire Co. back in business; $1 million boat to be returned to feds

The Union Fire Company resumed full operations Friday, eight weeks after it was suspended for the second time in 13 months.

Bensalem Public Safety Director Fred Harran lifted the suspension after fire company officials signed an agreement that included returning to the Federal Emergency Management Agency a nearly $1 million fire and rescue boat known as Marine 37.

http://www.phillybur...faa4abfaf0.html

Not good.

[INIT915 1,119]

http://www.phillybur...faa4abfaf0.html

Not good.

How is that "not good"? It seems like someone is holding them accoutable.

[JetPhoto 626]

init915 - I mean not good that the whole thing happened, it is good that something is being done. Hopefully departments learn from this so it doesn't happen again.