MEMORANDUM
TO: Gary Superman, Assembly President
Members of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly
THRU: Dale Bagley, Borough Mayor
Scott Holt, Finance Director
COPY: Mark Beals, Fire Chief for Bear Creek Fire Service Area
FROM: Bonnie L. Golden, Grants Manager
DATE: April 7, 2005
SUBJECT: Ordinance 2005-19-50: Accepting and Appropriating a Grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the Amount of $8,271.00 for Bear Creek Fire Service Area for Fire Prevention and Safety
Bear Creek Fire Service Area ("BCFSA") would like to establish a Fire Prevention Fair to expand its fire safety education program. The primary targets of the education program will be senior citizens and children in the community.
The initial Bear Creek Fire Prevention Fair is scheduled for this summer. The Fair has two fire safety events associated with it; one is a Fire Safety Rodeo for children ages 1 through 18 and the other is a smoke detector/CO alarm placement program. The placement program will focus on adults, with extra attention placed on seniors and homebound individuals in the community. During the Fair residents can take advantage of these activities:
1) Free smoke and CO detectors with batteries will be distributed along with advice on where to install and how to maintain them.
2) A sign up sheet will be available to schedule visits for elderly and homebound individuals by Bear Creek volunteers, to install and replace smoke and CO detectors, replace old batteries and check for potential home fire dangers.
3) Get advice on how to create a defensible area around your house in the event of a wildland fire.
4) Get advice on establishing a Family Fire Safety plan, including an outside meeting place, keeping extinguishers in the home, and practicing a family fire drill.
The second component of the Bear Creek Fire Prevention Fair is the Fire Safety Rodeo - geared toward children of all ages. While their parents are receiving fire safety advice and new smoke and CO detectors, the kids can participate in the Fire Safety Rodeo. BCFSA wants to make the rodeo appealing to kids ranging in age from 1-18 with a variety of events designed for different age groups. For older kids there will be volunteers on hand to go over the state-of-the-art technical features of the new pumper truck and discuss the positive aspects of volunteering. For younger kids there will be face painting and goodie bags, all with fire prevention education and fire safety in mind. This will be organized and manned by Bear Creek volunteers and will concentrate on fire safety lessons in a safe and anxiety free environment. It will feature a number of different "sub-stations" outlined below:
1) Fire Safety Station - Stop, Drop and Roll - Never Play with Matches
2) Family Fire Smart station-Practice fire drills - Know 2 ways out - Never go back in
3) Bear Creek's New Truck - Volunteers will display and explain the advanced technical aspects of their new truck.
4) Firemen are your friends - Airpacks - What a fireman's equipment does, and why it is important not to hide during a fire.
5) Junior firefighter station - Kids can try on junior turnout gear and learn about volunteering.
Bear Creek will advertise this event for approximately two weeks through flyers, the local newspaper, and at the Seward Senior Center and in the elementary school. Information will remain available at the Seward Senior Center so that no one misses the opportunity to have a home "detector check-up" visit. The ultimate long-term goal is to have smoke/CO detectors in every home in the service area, as required by state law.
BCFSA sees the Fire Prevention Fair as a great opportunity for educating the community about fire prevention and safety. It is a win-win situation for the area residents - working together to eliminate preventable fire fatalities and encouraging the next generation of volunteers.
BCFSA recently applied for and was awarded a grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the amount of $8,271.00. This grant will allow the service area to host a fair in the summer of 2005. The purpose of the grant is for purchasing fire prevention equipment, specifically smoke detector/CO alarms, and for kids' turnout gear and fire awareness information for the kids Fire Safety Rodeo.
Pursuant to the grant requirements, BCFSA must contribute a cash match in the amount of 10 percent of the total project cost. Supplies for the Fire Prevention Fair will cost a total of $9,190. Ten percent of the project total is $919.00. Funds are available in BCFSA's FY05 operating budget under fire prevention supplies (207.51210.00000.42222) to meet the match requirement.
The BCFSA Board will meet on April 12, 2005. Acceptance of the grant and expenditure of the matching funds will be on their meeting agenda for consideration. The results of the Board's action will be provided to the assembly prior to the public hearing for the ordinance.
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Attachments: Ordinance, Notice of Award