The Explanation: If you have received a grant under the FIRE or SAFER Act grant programs, explain how you used the money and how it has improved your ability to serve the community. If you have not received a grant under these programs, explain how you could use that grant money. Give a specific example of how a FIRE or SAFER Act grant has helped or could help you serve your community.

 The Problem: Many fire service leaders have been concerned about the level of funding that the USFA and NFA receive, and whether they will be able to fulfill their missions and respond to emerging challenges. The FY 2009 DHS appropriations bill included $44.97 million for the agency. Reauthorization legislation also was enacted in 2008 (P.L. 110-376), broadening the authority of the agency in fire, wildland and EMS issues and increasing its authorized appropriations level to $72 million in FY 2010 through $76 million in FY 2012. The President requested $45.59 million for the USFA in FY 2010. Both the House-passed and Senate-passed DHS appropriations bills (H.R. 2892) appropriated this amount.

 The Problem: Volunteer firefighters can be deployed to the scene of a national emergency, but their employers are not required to retain their employment status.

 The Solution: Employers should be required to protect the jobs of volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel, who are deployed to national emergencies or major disasters.

 The Explanation: Describe recent mutual aid deployments to major disasters and previous efforts during hurricanes and other national disasters. Give concrete examples of how volunteer firefighters can be deployed away from their homes to respond to national disasters, and why these volunteer firefighters should not have their livelihood jeopardized. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE) and Susan Collins (R-ME) introduced the Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act (S. 1025) on May 12, 2009, to prevent employers from firing or demoting volunteer firefighters formally deployed for a maximum of 14 days to Stafford Act-defined emergencies or major disasters.

 The "Ask:" Ask your Members of Congress to support job protection for our nation’s volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel and to become co-sponsors of S. 1025.

 The Problem: Buildings without sprinklers are a life hazard.

 The Solution: Retrofitting existing buildings with sprinklers would improve public safety and reduce fire deaths. Improving a federal tax incentive would encourage building owners to retrofit by reducing the depreciation period for investments in sprinkler systems.

 The Explanation: Use an example from your community about why a particular fire would not have been as devastating if the building had had a sprinkler system, or how a sprinkler system improved your ability to contain a fire. The NFPA has no record of a fire killing more than two people in a completely sprinklered public assembly or educational, institutional, or residential building where the system was working properly. The Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2009 (H.R. 1194) has been introduced by Representative James Langevin (D-RI) with the support of 93 cosponsors on March 25, 2009. The bill would reduce the federal tax depreciation allowance on sprinkler systems to provide economic incentives to building owners to retrofit their commercial and commercial-residential buildings with fire sprinklers. The IAFC is working with the other major fire service organizations to introduce a Senate companion bill.

 The "Ask:" Ask your Members of Congress to support the retrofitting of buildings with fire sprinklers and to become co-sponsors of H.R. 1194.