public safety divers / fire resuce ?

[rebelrph]

I am a public safety diver for our local FD and I have a question.
As a newly formed part of a rural (though very good) FD we don't really have the budget for "hi-tech" stuff like full face mask / communications , etc. does anyone know of grant money available? I have all my own equip. and am using it now but our other diver does not have everything.
We are not looking for the latest and greatest just what we need to be as safe and efficient as possible.

I'm open to any and all suggestions and ideas,


thanks,

Todd

 

[Ontario Diver]

My cousin's ex-husband is on a volunteer fire dept. They got a fair bit of kit by becoming tight with one of the big city FDs. Don't think they asked for dive gear but they got hoses, jaws of life etc. All used but still working.

Don't know if this helps....

 

[DivingGal]

Last month while at Underwater Canada I took a course with Andra Zaferes - she's with "Lifeguard Systems, Inc". The course was all about Public Safety Teams -- though the audience turned out to be divers like myself who wanted to improve their "rescue/recovery" techniques. She quickly adapted the course, and we all had a grand time.

you might try contacting the company as ask them, if they have any ideas/assistance. BTW - if you get a chance, take a course with them!

Info:
Lifeguard Systems
PO Box 548 Hurley NY
12334
Fax (845)331-3383
emails:
az@teamlgs.com (Andrea Zaferes)
butch@teamlgs.com (Walt "Butch" Hendrick)

web:
www.teamlgs.com

 

[rebelrph]

thanks for the info. It's looks great , but a bit far from "way down here". It could be a great "road trip" though.

todd

 

[DivingGal]

Andrea and the others in the company travel around the world training divers, and assisting in the set up of teams....

 

[DeepSeaDan]

Hello rebelrph...

I'm with the Peterborough F.D. up here in Ontario. Our dive team became the victim of budgetary cutbacks some years ago but I continue to harangue the Chief for a scaled down version of the former entity.

A month ago I was training the Durham Regional Police Dive team. They use an A.G.A. mask - to - scuba cylinder set-up with a rope tether, although there is a regulatory push on up here for all Public Safety Dive Teams to standardize their breathing systems in a surface-supplied format. The advantages of unlimited air supply, hard-wire comms. & the ability to modify for hazardous conditions ( pollution, chemical spills etc., etc. ) by rigging for encapsulation make this method of diving the safest mode for the Public Safety Diver. It would be prudent to investigate if similar regulatory winds are blowing in your baliwick.

If I be you, I'd think very hard about working towards training in surface-supplied gear with the goal of using such equipment as your operational standard. I know, its expensive, but in that regard I have but one word for you...

FUNDRAISING!!!

In the current climate of societal insecurity, garnering public support for the Fire Service should be a somewhat easier task. Educate the public in the value of your service & follow it up with as many fundraisers as as necessary. Just be sure to collect enough to fly me down to train you!

Best of luck, brother.

Regards,
D.S.D. a.k.a. F.M.D.

 

[Rick Murchison]

I querried one of my students who's on the rescue dive squad -
Here's a link to a story on FD grants awarded in Alabama.
http://www.usfa.fema.gov/about/press/01-206al.htm
Rick

 

[Bob3]

Here are a few URLs that you can get info on getting cheap or free equipment from govt surplus, etc. Be creative in the writing department, a good story does wonders. (your local power, water, & sewage treatment plants have insecure intakes & outfalls, possible terrorist targets).


http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/BJA/html/fund1.html

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/tools/tag/howcan.htm

http://www.supply.dla.mil

http://www.nlectc.org/nlectcse/surplus.html

http://www.pacificrim.gsa.gov/fss/sales/default.asp

 

[AquaticOpsDiving]

Brother I think anyone in public safety today feels your pain and once again reflects poor prioritization on the part of elected officials and public safety policy makers. All too often it is after a critical incident that they have that "ah ha" moment and write the check. A few thoughts some of which have been presented by our collegues in this thread are outstanding. You might consider contacting those agencies which are scaling back their teams due to the economy. Birmingham and Jefferson County, Alabama might be a good place to start since they just filed bankruptcy. Several corporations also provide monies to public agencies in the form of a "grant." Target and Firehouse Subs are 2 that I have partnered with previously. As for training at virtually little to no cost my company, AquaticOps Dive Training always looks for agencies who can host a program which generally with enough participation from other departments ends up costing the host agency virtually nothing other than coffee and donuts (cop food). If this sounds appealing please email AquaticOpsDiving@gmail.com. Finally regarding full face mask. Great for comms and protection from the environment, lousy in case of equipment failure. As usual it is a tradeoff but as one of the other responders said, surface comms and hand signals never fail. Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[sheeper]

there are a number of grant opportunities available from DHS and FEMA to local fire departments. Just check the grants page at fema.gov
DHS/FEMA Grants

another place to check is with the PSD certifying agencies. I have the most experience with ERDI. their contact info can be found at their website tdisdi.com | International Training

the money is certainly tighter than it's ever been.