North Carolina Department of Insurance

2009 EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY SMOKE ALARM GRANT

The North Carolina Department of Insurance - Office of State Fire Marshal is offering grants for smoke alarm education and installation. The purpose of this Education and Technology grant is to install 10 year lithium smoke alarms in high fire risk areas. This program is not designed as a smoke alarm distribution program, but a total community canvassing project to provide both education and long-life smoke alarms as needed. Recipients must identify high fire risk areas in their communities to target and conduct fire safety sweeps. This can be accomplished by using local fire data. High fire risk areas may include, but are not limited to areas with minority populations, large percentage of older mobile homes, low-income residences with older adults, and areas with a large number of older homes. The goal of this project is to reduce fire deaths and injuries to North Carolina residents. The long-term outcomes includes communities that are better prepared should a fire break-out in their residence.

Guidelines

·  This project will be four months from January 2009 through May 2009. All smoke alarms and community canvassing must be completed by May 15, 2009 and all associated reports to NC DOI-OSFM must be submitted May 29, 2009.

·  Any Fire Department (public or not-for-profit) in North Carolina is eligible to apply. All participating Fire Departments must be currently reporting through NFRIS.

·  A minimum of ten (10) projects will be awarded. Applicants should apply for the number of smoke alarms which best represents the work that can be accomplished during the four (4) month period. Grant recipients will receive the requested level of long life battery powered smoke alarms.

Grant award recipients will be required to complete the following:

·  Complete the project by May 15, 2009.

·  Visit all homes in the target high fire risk areas and complete a brief survey, provide fire safety education, and install smoke alarm(s).

·  Agree to install smoke alarm in accordance with the manufacture’s instructions and follow NFPA recommended guidelines.

·  Submit copies of completed survey forms on a monthly basis to the NCDOI-Office of State Fire Marshal smoke alarm grant project manager.

·  Report fire calls through the Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). Evaluation of this project requires reporting manager to document lives saved and injuries avoided as a result of this project.

Application Process

1.  The grant application period is November 17, 2008 to January 2, 2009.

2.  All applications must be received by 5pm on January 2, 2009. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted.

3.  All applications must identify a high fire risk area that will be targeted.

4.  Incomplete applications will not be awarded.

5.  Award recipients will be notified by January 15, 2009.

If you have questions on this project, please contact Allan Buchanan.

or 1-800-634-7854 ext. 314.

Applications should be submitted to the following address:

North Carolina Department of Insurance

Office of State Fire Marshal

1202 Mail Service Center

Raleigh, NC 27699-1202

Attn: Allan Buchanan