NC Fire to receive $250,000 in federal grants

FALLBROOK – North County Fire Protection District (NCFPD) has received notification that it has been approved to receive a grant from the federal government totaling $259,020. NCFPD provides fire protection and emergency medical services to the communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall, and Rainbow in north San Diego County. The grant funds come from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program through the US Fire Administration within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Funds from this grant will go to two major projects with $142,000 of the expenditures spent on upgrading the district’s communications system. A microwave metropolitan area network system with eight remote locations and two repeaters sites will be purchased and installed.

The system will enhance the district’s ability to communicate within the district, as well as with local, regional, state, and federal partners in the area. The project will also allow the district to discontinue the use of a number of landline telephone lines, saving the district approximately $30,000 per year in telephone line costs.

The second major component of the grant program is a replacement and upgrade of the self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA is what firefighters wear on their backs to enter hazardous situations) used by firefighters at the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Department. The Rainbow VFD is a component of the NCFPD and provides fire protection in the Rainbow area using volunteer personnel. This grant will allow the district to outfit the Rainbow volunteers with the latest, safest breathing apparatus.

Total expenditures for these two projects will be approximately $287,000. The AFG grant will pay for 90 percent of the expenditures while 10 percent comes from local matching funds.

“We are constantly searching for ways to become more efficient and we are constantly searching for alternative funding sources. In the current economic climate, grant opportunities have declined dramatically. The AFG program is highly competitive and we are very fortunate to have been awarded these grant funds,” said Bill Metcalf, North County Fire Chief. “The communications project not only enhances our communications capabilities locally and regionally, but it also allows the district to save a considerable amount of money in phone expenses on an annual basis - the perfect combination.”

Chief Metcalf also said, “The dedicated volunteers at the Rainbow VFD are providing an essential lifesaving service to the residents of the Rainbow community. We are glad that this grant will enable us to upgrade them to state-of-the-art breathing apparatus to keep them safe during their firefighting efforts.”

John Buchanan, public information officer for the district, stated, “This goes to show that there is federal money out there, and how actively Chief Metcalf and his staff are always pursuing other options when times are tight. No doubt, this will make it better and safer for the community we serve and its firefighters.”