Start Preparing Your FY 2013 Fire Prevention and Safety Application Now!

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) sent this bulletin at 11/19/2013 12:28 PM EST

Fire Prevention and Safety Application Period Approaching! SAM.gov Registration Required To Submit AN FY 2013 AFG/Fire Prevention and Safety Application Fire Prevention and Safety Project Updates Research and Development Project Updates

Fire Prevention and Safety Application Period Approaching! The FY 2013 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant Program application period is fast approaching! As you begin to develop your application, the AFG Program wanted to share some successful projects that have been funded previously through the Fire Prevention and Safety Grants, and that you may find beneficial to your department. Get Ready Guides and Self-Evaluation Guides will be available shortly on the AFG website, www.fema.gov/firegrants, to assist you with developing and planning your FY 2013 Fire Prevention and Safety application. SAM.GOV REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO SUBMIT YOUR FY 2013 AFG APPLICATION Starting with the FY 2013 AFG application period, a valid registration in the System for Award Management (SAM), formerly the Central Contractor Registry, or CCR, will be required in order to submit an AFG/FP&S application. Federal law now requires that applicants to Federal grant programs have a valid registration within SAM.gov at the time of registration. Applicants will be asked to affirm that they have a current registration prior to submitting their application. As part of the SAM.gov registration process, every eligible grantee must have their SAM.gov account validated through the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and have their CAGE (Commercial and Government Entity) code validated in order to be eligible for award. These validations are conducted as part of the registration process after the organization has submitted their SAM.gov registration. A valid SAM.gov registration is now also required for any payment or amendment request to an existing, open award. A valid SAM.gov registration is now also required for any payment or amendment request to an existing, open award. If your department has not yet registered within SAM.gov, you are encouraged to do. SAM.gov is administered through the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA). Technical assistance may be obtained through the Federal Service Desk at 866-606-8220. Please be advised that during peak activity periods, it may take more than 2 weeks to complete the registration process. Fire Prevention and Safety Project Updates 1. International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) – Health and Safety The online Fire Ground Survival Awareness Program, http://www.iaff.org/HS/FGS/FGSIndex.htm, was launched September 1, 2010.  In June 2011, IAFF fully integrated the online awareness program into the IAFF Learning Management System (LMS).  The Train-the-Trainer (TtT) program was launched in fall of 2011. To date the IAFF has more than 25,725 registered users for the free Online Awareness Program with more than 80% of those registered users (21,000) completing the entire program. More than 30 Train-the-Trainer classes have been completed. These classes were attended by representatives from more than 30 departments across North America representing more than 63,000 fire fighters. The IAFF/IAFC/ACE Peer Fitness Trainer Certification Program The purpose of the IAFF/ACE Peer Fitness Trainer Certification Program and the IAFF/ACE Peer Fitness Trainer Recertification Program are to identify fire fighters who have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required to design and implement fitness programs, improve the wellness and fitness of their departments, assist in the physical training of recruits, and assist the broader community in achieving wellness and fitness.  Over 228 workshops have been delivered in 39 states, Washington DC and 5 Canadian provinces certifying 6,473 Peer Fitness Trainers. 2. Vision 20/20 Model Performance Symposium Call for Papers Don't miss the chance to present your fire prevention program at the third Vision 20/20 Model Performance in Fire Prevention Symposium!  Fire prevention experts from across the nation will be gathering together in Towson, Maryland on March 26, 27 and 28, 2014 to learn from each other about what works in the world of fire prevention.  You can also view past Model Symposium presenters and background information on successful model prevention programs on the Vision 20/20 website (www.strategicfire.org). The Call for Papers is open and you can submit your proposal online at the Vision 20/20 web site.  The proposals will be evaluated by a peer review panel and those selected will have their travel and lodging costs covered. Don't miss out on this opportunity, and to learn more, visit us at Vision 20/20! 3. National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – Suicide Prevention The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation recently held a summit, entitled “Generating Strategies and Materials to Support Suicide Prevention and Intervention in the Fire Service” that was held October 25-27, 2013 at the National Emergency Training Center in Emmitsburg, Maryland. During the summit, participants reviewed what was known about depression and suicide in the fire service in 2013, were refreshed on the topic by experts in the field and most importantly, began the development of a strategic plan for moving this issue forward. A white paper, developed after the initial suicide prevention summit in 2011 can be viewed at http://lifesafetyinitiatives.com/13/suicide_whitepaper.pdf.