Enclosure 3C - Project Summary Form
43
NATIONAL FIRE PLAN COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE AND WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROJECTS
Application for Prevention & Education Projects
Applicant
Applicant/Organization:
San Juan County Fire Marshal’s Office
Phone:
Type of Applicant: (enter appropriate letter in box)
B
(360) 378-2116
FAX:
(360) 378-3922
Email:
fmannex@rockisland.com
A. State
B. County
C. Municipal
D. Township
E. Interstate
F. Intermunicipal
G. Special District
H. Independent School District
I. State-Controlled Institution of Higher Learning
J. Private University
K. Indian Tribe
L. Nonprofit Organization
M. Other (Specify) _______________________
Address (Street or P. O. Box, City, State, Zip):
PO Box 947, Friday Harbor, WA 98250
Project Coordinator
Project Coordinator (Name and Title):
Rick Galer, San Juan County Fire Marshal
Organization/Jurisdiction:
San Juan County
Phone:
FAX:
Email:
(360) 378-2116
(360) 378-3922
fmannex@rockisland.com
Project Information
Project Title: San Juan County Firewise Outreach Program – We’ll Show You How!
Motto: Defensible Space is A Homeowner Responsibility.
Proposed Project Start Date:
February 1, 2005
Proposed Project End Date:
November 30, 2005
Federal Funding Request:
$70,440
Total Project Cost:
$96,300
Are you submitting multiple projects? If so, please prioritize, and explain if the projects are stand alone, sequential, or other:
No
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).
San Juan County has been identified as high to extreme risk. There is a National Park on San Juan Island and a
USFWS Maritime Complex in close proximity. RAMS data identifies this whole County as a high-hazard area. After
significant time spent talking with homeowners about the fire potential, we now find ourselves overwhelmed with requests
for workshops. Through support of the Local Coordination Group, the plan is for a Fire Prevention Educator to take the
lead and hire and train a Fire Cadet to help with the many workshops overall. The goal of this project is to have the
requesting residents so knowledgeable in being Firewise and pumped for action that through word-of-mouth, seeing the
actual results, and promotion of Washington’s Wildfire Awareness Week the remaining residents will be excited to come
on board this process.
Project Location (latitude/longitude of project):
County:
Congressional District:
San Juan Islands LAT: 48 Long: 122
San Juan
2nd
Name of Federal, State or Tribal contact with whom you coordinated this proposal:
Telephone number of Contact:
Rico George, USFWS
Marc Titus
(503) 231-6771
(360) 856-3500
Enclosure 3C (Page 1 of 3) - Project Narrative Description
Applications for funding must include a narrative response that describes the proposal. Please do not submit responses longer than
one page, single space, and 12-pitch font.
Describe project, including, but not limited to:
 type of project to be delivered
 project location
 method of delivery
 project relationship to community or natural
landscape fire plans
 target audience
 timeliness
 tools and/or skills needed to complete project
 projected timelines and cost estimation
 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? Unanimous support from multi-agency LCG.
Few outsiders realize these islands have Eastern Washington conditions:
Avg. Rainfall – 16” or less; strong winds (Nor’easter winds in winter cause fires); steep topography; Douglas Fir,
Lodgepole pine, lots of Madrone, heavy grass/brush; the dense dog hair thickets place this County in a
Condition Class 2 – bordering 3.
Within San Juan County the Orcas Island Fire Department and the San Juan County Fire Marshal’s Office has received
requests from homeowners associations and organizations on the 8 different islands: (Orcas Island; Obstruction Island;
Center Island; Waldron Island; Shaw Island; Lopez Island, Decatur Island, and Crane Island and the town of Friday
Harbor) for Firewise Workshop type information. While we are pleased with the up-front work spent to get to this point,
our budget and limited staff are not able to meet the current demands. This proposal covers everything from the speaker
answering questions, passing out educational materials such as Living with Fire, etc. but also taking our anxious
residents to the next step – outside the classroom. We have found being able to do live demonstration projects
encourages the most skeptical customer to see the work often requires little more than homeowner motivation and some
Ben Gay Heating Rub (of course the Heating Rub is not covered by the grant). Our residents are very much concerned
about “Defensible Space” looking like a clear cut and removing all the natural beauty. We will be able to show them they
do not have to give up aesthetics in protecting their home. To preserve the professionalism of the presentations and
demonstrations we may need to call upon professionals in some communities to provide accurate information on things
like, how to properly prune the trees in your yard; or identifying and selecting the best plants and planting techniques and
tips for a fire resistant landscape. To carry this out we will need to pay for any lost wage time (regular rate) of a fire
prevention educator who is able to train and pay for some Fire Cadet type helpers to learn and take on the more timeconsuming and rigorous aspects of home-survey appointments, demonstration projects and some monitoring. Members
of the Local Coordinating Group would also assist in the training of how to do a Community Risk Assessments and
Community Fire Protection plans and work with them to make it a reality through homeowners establishing an action plan
with timelines, goals and objectives. Follow-up and evaluation will be handled throughout the life of the grant with a
heavy focus during the 2005 Wildfire Awareness Week. Wildfire Awareness Week typically occurs sometime in May. We
envision being able to take advantage of this week and further promote and advertise the current work being done
throughout San Juan County opening the doors for homeowners to explore whether or not they are interested in
becoming recognized as a Firewise USA Community.
Community Partners: County: Dept. of Emergency Mgmt; Sheriff’s Dept; Fire Marshal’s Office; Prosecutors Office;
SJC Auditors: Orcas: Fire/EMS; Orcas Island Volunteer Firefighter/EMS Assoc; Kiwanis Club; Lions Club; Eagle Lake
Homeowner’s Assoc.; Victorian Valley Homeowner’s Assoc.; Spring Point Homeowner’s Assoc.; Deer Harbor Community
Club; Buck Mt. Homeowner’s Assoc.; Moran State Park; Doe Bay Community Club; Lopez: Fire/EMS; Lions Club;
Chamber of Commerce; Davis Head Homeowner’s Assoc; Upright Head Homeowner’s Assoc.; Salmon Pt. Homeowner’s
Assoc.; Shaw: Fire/EMS; Shaw School Dist; Shaw Library Dist.; Waldron: Community Organization School; Friday
Harbor: (Town of) Fire Dept; Chamber of Commerce; Obstruction Island: Homeowner’s Assoc.: Center Island:
Homeowner’s Assoc; Fire Brigade; Crane Island: Homeowner’s Assoc.; Fire Brigade.
Response: San Juan County conditions:
Enclosure 3C (Page 2 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
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.
This project was specifically designed to be open and hands-on while encouraging all sectors of the
community to become involved This project goes beyond the usual talks and is approached in a service oriented
fashion. We not only provide the talk and tips, but some hands on-demonstration to make this process as user friendly as
possible. This project invites all sectors of the community by encouraging business to participate by offering their
expertise and the opportunity to become knowledgeable in another realm they can market themselves in their day to day
business activities. For example, the nursery would learn about the fire resistant plant materials, tips and tricks for low
maintenance landscaping and use that to market to current and future residents.
Response:
The fact that we currently have so many requests for information from 7 different islands within our County tells us
residents are interested in taking the next step to action. We have been very fortunate in keeping fires at bay by
encouraging homeowners to burn. However, this is not enough. RAMS data supports the need for residents to take the
next step to reduce the potential fire danger. A wildfire on any of the islands would be not only catastrophic but extremely
costly just due to getting transportation for suppression personnel and tools. In San Juan County there are approximately
10,000 homes at risk. This project helps homeowners move from the text to the on-the-ground application.
Demonstration projects help show the final outcome, while laborious, is not that difficult to organize, achieve and
maintain. Additionally, by using professionals in the Urban Forestry and Landscape business as part of the training, we
can further promote the right tools, techniques and pruning and fire-resistant landscaping and have a greater chance at
homeowners willing to maintain their property. We have found the heavy-handed enforcement approach is not as
effective. This project was specifically designed to be open and hands-on while encouraging all sectors of the
community to become involved. Also taking advantage of the timely 2005 Wildfire Awareness Week (usually in May) we
will be able to further gain interest and compliance in not only making individuals’ homes safer from fire danger but entire
communities. We want this week to become an annual reminder to residents to look out and make sure they have taken
care of the maintenance. Potential ways we would achieve this would be asking various business to include reminders
and tips in their advertisements, press releases from the Local Coordination Group, flyers, events which might be offering
free home inspections, writing letters of “Thanks” to homeowners who have done their annual maintenance. This tells
them we are watching and let’s them know this is another step taken to protecting their home and community.
Enclosure 3C (Page 3 of 3) - Project Evaluation Criteria
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?
After working so long and hard trying to get residents to acknowledge the potential fire danger, I now have 8
Islands and right now as many home owners associations asking for Firewise type workshops and information on how to
be prepared for a potential wildfire. So, the first major hurdle is overcome. The demonstration process will help to further
insure actual implementation. The community business involvement will help homeowners to be successful in defining
homeowners’ wants and needs while still coming up with a fire resistant landscape plan. Through Wildfire Awareness
Week we will be able to advertise what we are doing and why it is important and have something to entice the remaining
residents on board the program. Additionally this is a good opportunity to follow-up on those that have previously adopted
and implemented the Firewise strategy. The business community involvement is a key to keeping the fire resistant
message in front of homeowners on a more frequent basis with their newly acquired Firewise marketing information.
Response:
3.
Partnerships (40 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.
The Local Coordination Group would provide support in terms of lending staff on an as-needed basis, loan
needed equipment such as a computer, projector, and VCR. For some locations they may be able to provide the
alternative transportation and fuel costs. The Local Coordination Group would also help plan and promote 2005 Wildfire
Awareness Week ensuring we provide a consistent and supportive message for this project while encouraging others to
get on board with the program.
Response:
Enclosure 3C - Project Work Form
Tasks
Time Frame
Responsible Party
_Locate and train Fire Cadet type individuals
_Have a firm commitment on items, staffing
available from Local Coordination Group
_Line up potential business interested in
participating in Workshops, e.g., Urban
Foresters, Tree Pruners, Landscape designers
-Buy educational literature
-Confirm and finalize Homeowner
Association meeting dates and locations.
-Begin implementation
-Work with Local Coordinating Group to
discuss the exact Wildfire Awareness Week
Marketing Plan and Events
January 2005
Fire Prevention Educator with
assistance from Fire Cadet and Local
Coordinating Group Partners
February 2005
Fire Prevention Educator with
assistance from Fire Cadet and Local
Coordinating Group Partners
-Implementation
-Work with Local Coordinating Group to
finalize Wildfire Awareness Week Plans
-Implement Advertisement Campaign to
recruit additional interest from homeowners in
Firewise/ Begin Evaluating projects
March – May, 2005
Fire Prevention Educator with
assistance from Fire Cadet and Local
Coordinating Group Partners
-Contact the newly recruited homeowners to
schedule a workshop and begin process all
over
-Prepare final report
June - November , 2005
Fire Prevention Educator with
assistance from Fire Cadet and Local
Coordinating Group Partners
Enclosure 3D Project Budget
Cost Category
Description
Federal
Agency
Personnel
Personnel
Applicant
Partner 1
Partner 2
San Juan County
Fire Prevention Educator
Fire Cadet Type Trainee
Jr. Fire Taxing Dists
;
Fire Marshal’s Office
17600
2,500 Homeowners Assoc’s;1,000
Friday Harbor, & remaining
11,520
listed islands
Total
WADNR
8,000
29,100
11,520
2240
8
3,688
Subtotal
Fringe Benefits
Fire Prevention Educator
Fire Cadet Type Trainee
5632
3,688
800
320
1,000
2,000
400
1,000
1,000
Subtotal
Travel
Transportation
Mileage reimbursement
boat/vehicle
2,400
3,000
Subtotal
Equipment
Laptop Computer, Projector,
VCR
3,000
1,000
4,000
Subtotal
Supplies
Workshop Supplies
3,000
5,000
2,000
Subtotal
Contractual
Urban Forester/Landscape
Business
6,000
6,000
Subtotal
Other
Brochures/Ed.
Materials/Ads/Site
Indirect Maps
Subtotal
Total Costs
15,000
5,000
600
2,000
17,600
5,000
70,440
4,700
7,920
13,240
96,300
70,440
4,700
7,920
13,240
96,300