By Michael Doyle Bee
Fresno Bee (California)
Copyright 2006 McClatchy Newspapers, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The fire engines in Firebaugh are older than some of the volunteers who staff them.
So now the small San Joaquin Valley town is seeking federal help in buying a rig that’s likely to cost a quarter of a million dollars.
It’s a lot of money, and the town isn’t alone in its quest — though its need is dire.
“The oldest engine we have we have to drive pretty carefully, because the water tank might fall out of the bottom,” Firebaugh’s mayor pro tem, Craig Knight, said, exaggerating to make a point. “We try not to hit too many bumps.”
One of 18 volunteers on the Firebaugh force, Knight was standing Tuesday morning -- helmet figuratively in hand -- outside the office of Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. Accompanied by lobbyist Paul Venosdel, Firebaugh City Manager Jose Antonio Ramirez and Firebaugh City Council Member Javier Marquez, Knight was preparing a pitch on Firebaugh’s behalf.
Their timing was both apt and a little bit off.
It’s already late in the congressional budget cycle, as lawmakers generally must make their annual funding requests by mid-March.
Firebaugh’s requests, which also include funding for water treatment and sewage system improvements, will more likely bear fruit next year.
Still, the first Capitol Hill lobbying trip of its kind for the Firebaugh officials came just as Congress was focusing on the kind of funding the city wants.
This week, House and Senate negotiators agreed on a $35 billion homeland security funding bill for fiscal 2007. The bill provides more money than President Bush had sought. It includes funds to build more border fences, hire 1,500 new Border Patrol agents and add 6,700 new federal detention beds for illegal immigrants.
The homeland security bill also includes money that local fire departments love to tap. This includes $547 million for firefighter assistance grants -- typically used for equipment -- and $115 million for grants that help pay firefighter salaries.
The programs are popular. Last year, 200 California agencies received firefighter assistance grants. Among them was the Sanger Fire Department, which received $59,000 for personal protective equipment.
Three California agencies received the firefighter salary grants this year. Most recently, federal officials on Friday advised the Fresno Fire Department it would receive a $931,500 grant to hire nine new firefighters.
Fresno’s was one of the biggest grants of its kind to be awarded in 2006.
“We’re in the process of rebuilding our department,” said Ken Shockley, public information officer for the Fresno Fire Department.
Fresno’s new hires will reinforce the crews in three of the department’s stations, so that their engines are staffed with four firefighters each. Most of the city’s engines, though, will continue to be staffed with three firefighters.
Firebaugh previously received a $76,095 federal grant in fiscal 2002. Knight said the town of about 5,800 residents must collect a total of $250,000 to afford the new fire engine.
“Any type of first responder money, we’re going to ask for,” Ramirez said. “The message is, we have to fight for funding in order to have a chance.”
Firebaugh’s newest fire engine was manufactured in 1986. Its oldest -- except for one used in ceremonial events -- dates to 1978, according to the fire department’s Web site.
But Firebaugh can’t buy just any fire truck. The truck bays are too small to accommodate standard-size engines, officials said.
“It has to be a custom-built truck, because it otherwise wouldn’t fit into the station,” City Manager Jose Ramirez said.