Project Summary Form
Id Number 2006-125
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN-INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Prevention & Education Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
Benton County Emergency Management
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
B
509-628-2600 3108
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
509-628-2621
Please Call Ahead For FAX
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
651 Truman Richland, WA 99352
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Mr. Steve Sautter Public Information Officer
Organization/Jurisdiction:
Benton County Emergency Management
Phone: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
509-628-2600
FAX: (111 111-1111 x 1111)
509-628-2621
Call Ahead For FAX
Email:
s.sautter@bces.wa.gov
Project Information
Project Title:
Wildland-Urban Interface Public Education Project
Proposed Project Start Date:
05/01/2005
Federal Funding Request:
$
56,280
Proposed Project End Date:
12/31/2006
Total Project Funding:
$
84,215
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please explain and prioritize:
Benton County Fire District #1 is writing the Community Wildfire Mitigation Plan using FG funds. This educational program would be the next
phase of fire mitigation for our area. Both projects are stand-alone but the educational grant will use information discovered in the process of
developing the Plan.
Brief Project Summary: Who, What, Where, Desired Outcomes in relation to NFP Goals and Community Risk Assessment and
Mitigation Plans (This should summarize page 2).
We will use these grant funds to create public information brochures, mail brochures to Benton County Residents, create public
information videos, create public information radio ads, and purchase television and radio advertising air time to broadcast these
educational tools. The public education included in these tools will include defensive space for property owners and personal
emergency plans in case of wildfire.
Project Location:
Latitude: 46.294
Longitude: 119.29
County:
Benton
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Federal Congressional District:
8
Telephone number of Contact:
Eric Hagen, Fish and Wildlife Services
509-371-1801 Ext. 224
Scott Boyd, BLM
509-536-1235
Rex Reed, Washington State DNR
509-925-8510
Describe project, including, but not limited to:
x type of project to be delivered
x project location
x method of delivery
x project relationship to community or natural
landscape fire plans
x target audience
x timeliness
x tools and/or skills needed to complete project
x projected timelines and cost estimation
x monitoring and evaluation procedures
For this project, explain the level of cooperation, coordination or strategic planning, through a “Local Coordination
Group.” If you haven’t worked with a local coordination group, why not?
Response:
The Benton County All-Hazard Mitigation Plan approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 2004 identifies wildfires as the number one natural
hazard to the citizens and property of the county's residents. Our project will develop an ongoing educational campaign to educate Benton County,
Washington residents on the importance of creating and maintaining a defensible space in the County's wildland-urban interface. Benton County, Washington,
has a unique environment that includes a very dry desert community [with rainfall totals in a year typically less than that of Phoenix, Arizona], regular high
winds during the dry season [typically May through August], and a plant fuel structure that promotes rapidly evolving wildfires. The terrain is hilly with a large
share of the county covered with extremely flammable, dry sagebrush. The environment creates huge numbers of tumbleweeds each year which tend to collect
around structures and against wooden fences [which are popular in this area] due to the regular high winds. When a fire occurs, the spread can be enhanced
by following tumbleweeds along fence lines until it reaches structures. Such a wildfire burned 162,400 acres in 2000. The fire destroyed 11 residences and 60
other buildings.
Our objective is to provinde residents with information about the need to clear these fire hazards from their properties and away from structures. To
accomplish this, we will use direct mailings, public service announcements on radio and television, and advertisements in county newspapers. We will use
information gathered in our area's wildfire mitigation plan to determine the most likely risks and prioritize them for topics to be used in these media. We will
partner with county fire agencies to develop key messages for the campaign and identify high-hazard areas for direct mailings.
This program will begin in the summer of 2005 with a review of the Community Wildfire Mitigation Plan to identify areas where sagebrush has not been burned
over and where tumbleweed accumulation is high. Local fire departments will field verify at least 20 demonstration sites where fire hazards threaten structures.
The media campaign will commence in Spring 2006. The demonstration sites may be used as examples for the media to illustrate the hazards and to show
proper mitigation. Other sites will be observed to see if residents voluntarily clear the hazards. Intensified education of residents will occur near demonstration
sites through a property owner contact system. Property owners will be contacted and advised on proper mitigation of hazards found on their properties.
Photos of the properties before and after mitigation will be taken. A phone number will be published to provide residents with a resource for getting questions
about fire mitigation answered.
1. Prevention of Wildland Urban Interface Fire (40 points)
Describe how the proposal will lead to:
A. Reduction of wildland urban interface fire
B. Reduction of structural losses
C. Homeowner action and personal responsibility to reduce fire loss of private land.
Response:
A. Although the campaign will not prevent wildfires from occurring, it can reduce the propagation of wildfire in Benton County by
encouraging residents to remove accumulated tumbleweeds and other flammable materials from around buildings and along fence
lines
B. The accumulation of tumbleweeds against structures and fences provides fuel for potential structure fires and a means by which
the fire can rapidly travel to a structure. By removing them, structures and possibly lives will be saved the next time a major wildfire
erupts.
C. With information provided as part of the campaign, residents will be able to see how dangerous sagebrush near structures can
be and understand the hazards tumbleweeds pose when they accumulate along fence lines connected to their structures. Our goal
is to show residents that they are in the best position to eliminate this hazard and provide demonstrations of how to clear, collect
and properly dispose of the tumbleweeds, debris, and brush that pose the fire hazard.
2.
Community Participation (30 points)
Detail the community participation and collaboration for this project. Define clearly why you believe your group
will be successful in delivering the proposal to the target audience. How will the project be sustained or carried
forward beyond project timelines? How will the project be monitored and evaluated?
Response:
The Benton County Emergency Management Public Information Officer [PIO] will lead the project. The PIO has experience in
directing public information/education programs and will work with the resources of Benton County media outlets to produce an
effective combination of written and broadcast campaign materials.
The Benton County Fire Agencies and both local and Federal governments support this project and will provide fire agency
assistance in locating demonstration sites and to provide valid information to relay to the public for mitigating the hazards. They will
be able to help with monitoring wildfire fuel mitigation in their areas and to be able to provide their constituents with information
about this project.
The project will provide a basis for providing ongoing information to residents about wildfire mitigation. The video and audio
productions will be available every year prior to and during the fire season to broadcast via public service announcements or paid
advertising. Benton County Emergency Management also participates in numerous events such as the county fair where the
educational materials can be distributed. The information about mitigation will remain the same, so the published educational tools
will be usable for years to come.
The effectiveness of the program will be monitored by local fire agencies inspecting targeted areas.
3.
Partnerships (30 points)
Detail the level of involvement of any local multi-agency, emergency services, non-profit coordination group, and
provide a list of partners for this project with their current and expected level of involvement, including any kind of
contributions or matching funds. What is the project relationship to a community risk assessment or mitigation
plan? Include the name of the plan, date it was prepared, and local contact to get a copy of the plan if requested.
Response:
Although Benton County Emergency Management [BCEM] will be the sponsor of the project, the Benton County Fire Agencies and
their Federal Partners will be providing much of the field information and potential settings for media production through their various
fire department personnel and their knowledge of hazard areas. They will assist in monitoring mitigation activities and hazard areas
and will be a source for information during the production of mitigation educational materials.
BCEM will fund up to 5 hours per week of its PIO's time for the program a matching 5 hours per week funded from the grant.
BCEM's office space and equipment will be used to perform the routine administrative activities for the grant. Use of the City of
Richland's print shop will save approximately $1,500 for printing costs. We will seek free public service announcements in addition
to any paid advertising to help to increase the number of radio and television broadcasts of the program messages. The City of
Richland, being the administrators of BCEM's activites, will require a 5 percent overhead charge from the grant.
Both the Community Fire Mitigation Plan [to be published 2005] and the Benton County Hazard Mitigation Plan [published 2004] will
be used to target hazard areas. BCEM can be contacted for copies of the plans.
Project Work Form
Tasks
Form a working group with BCEM, fire agencies,
and media representatives to develop overall
program. The Working Group will meet at least
monthly
Time Frame
Responsible Party
Benton County Emergency Management
(BCEM) Public Information Officer (PIO).
May 2005-Dec. 2006
Design and produce informational brochure on the
wildland-urban interface and defensible space.
BCEM PIO
May-Nov. 2005
Develop a mailing list to mass distribute brochures.
Prepare brochures for mailing. Mail brochure.
BCEM Staff.
Nov. 2005 - April 2006
Working Group with BCEM PIO as lead.
Develop and produce three 60-second video ads
and scripts for two 30-second radio ads.
May 2005- Sept. 2005
Buy air time for broadcast of both radio and
television ads
BCEM PIO.
April - June 2006
BCEM PIO.
Develp display materials for use at local county fair
and other public events.
July-Aug. 2005
Identify 20 demonstration sites for intensified public
education and outcome measurement of program
success. Monitor and measure demonstration sites.
Fire agency.
Aug. 2005- Aug. 2006
Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
Total
Partner 3
Personnel
BCEM Staff
$4,000
$0
$0
$0
$4,000
$0
$2,000
$0
$0
$6,000
$12,000
$4,000
$2,000
$0
$0
$18,000
$0
$0
$4,500
$8,000
Fire Personnel
Subtotal
$12,000
Fringe Benefits
Subtotal
$3,000
$1,500
$0
$0
$0
$1,500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$3,000
$0
$0
$0
$4,500
$1,000
$500
$0
$0
$0
$1,500
$0
$0
$0
$1,000
$0
$500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$1,500
$600
$200
$0
$0
$0
$800
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$600
$200
$0
$0
$0
$800
$7,000
$3,500
$0
$0
$0
$10,500
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$7,000
$3,500
$0
$0
$0
$10,500
$30,000
$15,000
$0
$0
$0
$45,000
$0
$0
$15,000
$0
$0
$0
$0
$30,000
$0
$0
$0
$45,000
$2,680
$1,235
$0
$0
$0
$3,915
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$2,680
$0
$1,235
$0
$0
$0
$3,915
$56,280
$25,935
$2,000
$0
$0
$84,215
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
$0
Travel
$0
Subtotal
Equipment
Subtotal
Supplies
Subtotal
Contractual
Subtotal
Other
City of Richland Admin.5%
Subtotal
Total Costs
Project (Program)
Income1
___________________________________
1
Program income is the gross revenue generated by a grant or cooperative agreement supported activity during the life of the grant. Program
income can be made by recipients from fees charged for conference or workshop attendance, from rental fees earned from renting out real
property or equipment acquired with grant or cooperative agreement funds, or from the sale of commodities or items developed under the grant
or cooperative agreement. The use of Program Income during the project period may require prior approval by the granting agency.