The Cost of Fire...and How to Bring it Down!

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the cost of fire fighting has gone up monumentally over the course of the last thirty years.  Even with numbers being adjusted for general inflation, the cost of fire is 38% higher in 2010 than it was in 1980.

It is estimated that fire costs about $328 billion per year.  That number covers everything from economic loss (such as property damage), to human loss (such as loss of life, medical care, or pain and suffering), to the actual cost of preventing fire (such as fire departments and equipment).  A significant bulk of the costs stem from prevention.

That should leave every fire department questioning what they can do to help their department save money.  So, how can you save money?  And how can you help other departments save money too?

Turnouts
Companies like Fire Dog Services deal in donated turnout gear.  Working with a company like this allows you to acquire newer gear for your department, keeping you up to date with safety regulations, even if you don't quite have the funding to do so.  Donating your older gear to Fire Dog Services can greatly impact the budget of smaller less funded departments!

Fire Equipment
Any fire department will tell you that one of their biggest expenses is their trucks and pumpers.  New vehicles are expensive, but frequent repairs on aging vehicles isn't always much cheaper.  As an alternative to buying a brand new truck, look at a company like Adirondack Fire Equipment.  They buy and sell well-conditioned used emergency service vehicles.  You can assist in the funding of your new vehicle by selling your old one, or upgrade to a newer vehicle by purchasing used.

Technology
When it comes to buying rugged computer equipment most departments deal with a moment of sticker-shock.  By looking to purchase refurbished Panasonic Toughbooks, you can essentially outfit your entire fleet for the cost of purchasing one new unit.

Grants
One of the most underused forms of funding purchases for emergency service agencies is grant funding.  Grants are essentially free funding to assist smaller, financially needy departments with the ability to get the newer equipment that they so desperately need.  And grants are available for practically everything....training, tools, apparatus, turnouts, hoses, and the list goes on-and-on.  Grant writing services are even available for those who aren't quite sure if they can properly write up a grant!

Are You Missing Out On Free Grant Money?

We've written before about how to get grant money, however, it seems as though a lot of departments are missing out on the opportunity to add (potentially) a significant amount of equipment to their departments through free funding!  A brief search online will find literally thousands of available opportunities for police grants and fire grants.  The funding opportunities come from federal grant programs, state grant programs, and even corporate grant opportunities.


Tips For Finding Federal/State Funding:

• Find, bookmark, and frequently check federal websites such as Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security.
• Find, bookmark, and frequently check your state website.
• Get on mailing lists for federal/state agencies that offer grants.  They announce when new grants come available!
• Network with other departments that are seeking grants.  They may find a grant opportunity you didn't!
• Get involved with committees, task forces, and workshops at the state level.  This will aid your networking ability and introduce you more grant opportunities!
• Always search a vendors website or call them about grant opportunities for their products.  Many of the vendors we have reviewed offer amazing grant programs.  Some of them include Tactical Command Industries Inc (tactical headsets), Digital Ally (LIDAR speed guns), FLIR Systems (thermal imagers), and automated license plate readers.

Make Sure Your Grant Gets Reviewed:

• The product you are looking to purchase and your department must meet the guidelines of the grant.  Be sure to read all of the fine print (product specifications, department size, response area, etc).  If your needs don't completely match the grant, look for a different one.
• Apply for the high priority items of a grant.  For example, if a federal or state grant is looking to help you upgrade police cruisers, request Toughbooks and automated license plate readers over newer sirens and lights.  It shows you have a greater need and therefore you are more likely to receive funding.
• Show your need!  If you are looking to replace/upgrade equipment that is below the current safety standards, be sure to express the percentage of your department that is utilizing sub-par equipment.  An entire fire department with outdated turnout gear is more likely to get funded then one that only has 20% outdated gear.
• Follow the directions!  It sounds simple, but many grants are removed from the review process simply for not following directions.  Fully fill out all forms and attach any and all documentation being requested.
• Get help!  Utilize grant writing services, attend a seminar/training on grant writing, or simply have someone else in your department assist you.  A second set of eyes reviewing everything can't hurt!
• Start early!  This allows you to take your time and fully prepare all of the information you need to submit a grant that will secure you funding.

LIDAR Speed Guns

Digital Ally is a technology-driven company specializing in advanced digital video police cameras and law enforcement surveillance equipment. The are the makers of the most advanced LIDAR speed gun available. Digital Ally’s LIDAR and video systems offer the features and reliability you need.


Laser Ally™ LIDAR Speed Guns are a new breakthrough in hand-held LIDAR speed detectors. Designed in conjunction with one of the leading experts in LIDAR, they provide...

• Extreme Accuracy - 
Pinpoint the speed and direction of a vehicle in single or multi-lane traffic. Unlike with traditional RADAR, laser speed detectors utilize an extremely narrow beam, allowing speed detection and targeting to be unaffected by traffic congestion.

• Cutting Edge Anti-Jamming Technology - 
Laser Ally Speed Guns were the only LIDAR systems not detected or jammed in a recent third-party test against LIDAR jammers.

• Total Reliability - 
Laser Ally Speed Guns are ruggedized.  They are built for heavy use, and they are waterproof for harsh environmental conditions.  They are amazingly fast and accurate with anti-jamming technology, and provide complete courtroom credibility. The gun's body is composed of a polycarbonate ABS blend for strength and chemical resistance. Critical alignment components are tied together by a second internal die cast metal structure to withstand a drop without requiring realignment.

Laser Ally LIDAR Speed Guns Feature:

• Small, Light & Balanced

• Incredible, Extended Range

• Extremely Fast Acquisition Time

• Advanced Anti-Jamming

• Tree, Fence, etc. Obstruction Mode

• Superior Weather Mode

• True Continuous Tracking with Audio

• Internal Electronic Tests, Software Verification & Digitally Locked High Speed Timing

• True Color 1:1 Head-Up Display for Accurate Vehicle Colors & No Eye Strain

• Models Available for Still Image & Video Recording

• Optional Folding 8x Monocular HUD Scope for Extended Range Identification

• Easy To Use Menu

• Improved Alignment Stability

• Integrates with Digital Ally DVM & Ultra Video Systems

• Optional Water-Resistant, Portable Ticket Printer

• 32-Hour Battery Life with Auto Sleep Mode

• Waterproof & Impact Resistant

• In-The-Field Software Upgradeable

Grant opportunities for LIDAR speed guns are available at various online funding sites.  Digital Ally also offers various financing and purchasing options to ease the burden of the purchasing process.

How To Afford New(er) Computer Equipment

Most departments would like to fill their police cruisers and emergency vehicles with the newest and greatest technology available.  However, with how often technology changes and advances, it is nearly impossible to afford the continuous process of upgrading.

We've written several blogs about how to finance your purchases through grants.  However, grant money can be difficult to acquire.  Grant requests must be adequately written, and moneys received from grants are only allowed to be spent on very specific items.  This leaves very little leeway in purchasing if inventory at your vendor changes in the time it takes to get your grant approval and funding.

Another option that tends to be overlooked quite frequently is buy back or trade-in.  At Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff we will happily buy back your previously purchased equipment from us when you are ready to upgrade to newer Toughbooks.  If you didn't purchase your current computers or mobile data terminals from us, that's fine too...we will happily take them for trade-in value on the purchase of Toughbooks.

Our buy back/trade-in program is only the beginning of the savings when you purchase from us.  As a refurbishd Panasonic Toughbook dealer, the units that we sell are generally 50-75% less than the cost of new units.  If you are worried about purchasing a "used" Toughbook, you shouldn't.  Used Toughbooks are fully refurbished and are often in like-new condition.  All refurbished units at Bob Johnson's Computer Stuff come fully equipped with a limited lifetime warranty (something a new Panasonic Toughbook does not).  

By combining your trade-in units with the purchase of a refurbished unit, you have the ability to double, triple, or even quadruple the number of units you are able to purchase for the same price!

If you would like more information on our trade-in program or the cost of our refurbished Toughbooks please don't hesitate to contact us.  We can be reached phone at 877-202-7788 or email.  

How To Get Grant Money

Most police and fire departments want to add various technologies to their departments.  These technologies range anywhere from automatic license plate scanners to Panasonic Toughbook computers to specialized computer software or even to new vehicles.  However, these much sought after items can come with a pretty expensive price tag...particularly for departments that are looking to outfit an entire fleet with the same equipment.  This is where grant money is very beneficial, however, some people find the task of writing a grant very daunting.

Unfortunately, the people who make decisions regarding technology purchases (such as town councils) might not be involved in their use, and therefore, they may not understand how important it is.  They might not understand how much the technology may simplify your job or increase your productivity.  When your department is consistently turned down for high-cost technology purchases, you need to have the option to look elsewhere for funding...this is where grant money would allow you to make those purchases.

The hardest part is of applying for grant money is knowing where to look.  It is actually significantly easier then you might think.  Just “Google” the term “Law Enforcement grants” and you’ll come up with a handful of sites that will help you. Of course, there is the Department of Justice (DOJ) Website and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Website. Both websites announce different types of grants and offer a search to find a particular grant or grants. One website you might not think of right away is PoliceOne.

Surf around on PoliceGrantsHelp at the PoliceOne website for a while and you’ll see that there are a great number of grants that agencies can apply for.  When looking for an applying for grants you should be sure to carefully read the criteria of the grant.  For example, some grants may require a matching of funds or that your city/town/municipality has a specific crime rate, demographic, or population in order to qualify for the grant funding.  Adequate explanation of your needs and wording of the grant can significantly affect whether or not you are successfully awarded funding.  Because of this it is highly recommended to have senior leadership assist in the grant writing process (as they most likely have experience in doing so).  For those departments that have never written a grant before, you can look for online training or seminars throughout the country sponsored by the DOJ or DHS.

Most importantly, when you are writing your grant, be sure to have an adequate count of the inventory that you will be needing.  For example, if you are looking to outfit a police fleet with new mobile computers, be sure to take into account any software licensing, additional cabling, if new mounting systems will be required, and if the units you are purchasing will meet the requirements of the software programs that you will be looking to run on them or if you will require upgrades.  Take into account any additional items or upgrades you may need; if you are awarded grant money for computers but then don't have the capability of installing them, you will need to find alternate funding to cover those expenses as well.