1. Fire Management Assistance Grant
(FMAG)

2. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Replaces the Fire Suppression Assistance Program
Effective for all fires declared on or after October 30, 2001

3. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Section 420 of the Stafford Act
Allows for “mitigation, management and control of fires burning on publicly or privately owned forest or grassland which threaten such destruction as would constitute a major disaster.

4. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Section 420 of the Stafford Act
Allows for assistance under Section 403, essential Assistance (emergency work.
Allows for State, Indian Tribal Governments and local entities to apply through the Grantee (TDEM) for subgrants

5. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Synopsis
The program falls under the Public Assistance Program of FEMA.
The program provides supplemental assistance to state and local governments on a 75% Federal/25% Applicant match.

6. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Thresholds
In order for a fire to be declared by FEMA,
it must meet one of two thresholds
Individual Fire Cost Threshold
$1,687,325 (CY 2012)
Cumulative Fire Cost Threshold
$5,091,976 (CY 2012)

7. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Individual Fire Example
Aircraft time/fuel $886,000
TFS manpower costs $531,000
Other State costs $231,000
Local cost $ 50,000
$1,698,000
This is worthy of being requested
as it is over $1,697,325

8. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Cumulative Fire Example
Total cost of all fires from beginning of calendar year through Mar $4,485,000
Whitaker Fire Apr $100,000 – no 4.5
Ferguson Fire Apr $100,000 – no 4.6
Dailey Fire May $410,000 – yes
$5,095,000
The Dailey Fire is worthy of being requested
as it put the cumulative over $5,091,976

9. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Tracking Thresholds
Costs are tracked by TFS on a daily basis in association with each fire, done through the TFS web site.

10. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Major Disaster Considerations
Threat to lives and improved property, including threats to critical facilities/infrastructure, and critical watershed areas
Availability of State and local firefighting resources

11. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Considerations Cont.
High fire danger conditions, as indicated by nationally accepted indices such as the National Fire Danger Ratings System
Potential major economic impact

12. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Appeals
TDEM may appeal the denial of a request for declaration.
The appeal is a one time request for consideration and is determined by the Assistant Director
Cont.

13. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Appeals Continued
Scenario 1 - Conditions Worsen
Resubmit a Request
Scenario 2 - New information received
(Have to be submitted
within 60 days of turndown)

14. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
Local jurisdiction submits a Request
for Fire Mitigation Assistance
FEMA Form
State agencies will be separate applicants from the local jurisdictions
(Within 30 days of the
end of the fire)

15. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
After submitting a request, TDEM Public Assistance Staff will begin meeting with applicants and writing up firefighting project worksheets

16. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
After all costs have been written up
and verified, TDEM will submit a grant application to FEMA.
(within 9 months of declaration
with the possibility
of a 3-month extension)

17. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
The only exception currently to the 9-month period is for
the US Forest Service.

18. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
After receipt of the request, FEMA
will review the costs and approve or
deny the grant application.
(within 45 days of receipt)

19. Fire Management Assistance After a Fire Declaration
Grant Program
After a Fire Declaration
is Approved
FEMA obligates funding to TDEM.
TDEM then makes payment
to applicant (sub-grantee)
Sub-grantee (applicant) makes payment to sub-applicants

20. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
After Payment
All applicants are subject to Audit -- keep all documents and supporting material a minimum of 3 years from the date of final payment.

21. Fire Management Assistance
Grant Program
Flowchart
TDEM submits SF-424 and 20-16a/b to FEMA
Declaration is approved
Recovery staff and locals develop project worksheets
Fire Begins
Request for FMAG declaration
FEMA makes obligation to TDEM
FEMA form is completed
Declaration is denied
Appeal of denial
TDEM makes payments to locals
Denial accepted

22. Incident Period The time interval when the declared fire occurs
The Regional Administrator, in consultation with the Governors Authorized Representative (GAR) and Principal Advisor, will establish the incident period
Generally, costs must be incurred during the incident period to be considered eligible

23. Applicant Eligibility
The following entities are eligible to apply through a Grantee (State) for a subgrant:
State agencies;
Local governments; and
Indian tribal governments
Privately owned entities and volunteer firefighting organizations, may be reimbursed through a contract or compact with an eligible applicant for eligible costs associated with the declared fire or fire complex

24. Applicant Eligibility
Applicant eligibility is contingent upon a finding that the Incident Commander or comparable State official requested assistance from the applying entity.
The activities performed must be:
the legal responsibility of the applying entity;
required as the result of the declared fire; and
located within the designated area

25. Mutual Aid Agreements FEMA Disaster Assistance Policy, DAP 9523.6
The reimbursement provisions of a mutual aid agreement must not be contingent on a declaration of an emergency, major disaster, or fire by the Federal government.

26. Mutual Aid Agreements Pre-Event Written Mutual Aid Agreements.
FEMA encourages parties to address the subject of reimbursement in their written mutual aid agreements. FEMA will honor the reimbursement provisions in a pre-event agreement to the extent they meet the requirements of this policy.

27. Mutual Aid Agreements
When a pre-event agreement provides for reimbursement, but also provides for an initial period of unpaid assistance, FEMA will pay the eligible costs of assistance after such initial unpaid period.

28. Mutual Aid Agreements
When a pre-event agreement specifies that no reimbursement will be provided for mutual aid assistance, FEMA will not pay for the costs of assistance.

29. Mutual Aid Agreements
When the parties do not have a pre-event written mutual aid agreement, or where a written pre-event agreement is silent on reimbursement, the Requesting and Providing Entities may verbally agree on the type and extent of mutual aid resources to be provided in the current event, and on the terms, conditions, and costs of such assistance.

30. Mutual Aid Agreements Post-event verbal agreements:
must be documented in writing
executed by an official of each entity with authority to request and provide assistance
provided to FEMA as a condition of receiving reimbursement.
The agreement should be consistent with past practices for mutual-aid between the parties. A written post-event agreement should be submitted within 30 days of the Requesting Entity’s Applicant’s Briefing.

31. Eligible Costs Costs for equipment and supplies (less insurance)
Costs for emergency work
Costs for State Operations Center
Costs for personal comfort and safety items for firefighters
Costs for field camps and meals in lieu of per diem
Costs for mobilization and demobilization
Costs for temporary repair of damage cased by firefighting activities
Costs for mitigation, management and control of declared fires burning on co-mingled Federal land.

32. Eligible Costs Essential Assistance Sheltering and evacuations
Animal control and evacuations
Police barricading and traffic control
Public information dissemination
Search and rescue
Arson investigation
Extraordinary emergency operation center costs
Limited removal of fire-damaged trees threatening public safety

33. Eligible Costs
Items that occur outside the Incident Period, but are directly related to Incident Period:
Pre-positioning of Federal, out-of-State, and international resources for up to a maximum of 21 days
Temporary repair of damage caused by firefighting activities
Mobilization and demobilization

34. Eligible Labor
Overtime for permanent or reassigned State and local employees hired for eligible firefighting activities
Regular time and overtime for temporary and contract employees hired for eligible firefighting activities

35. Eligible Costs Temporary Repair of Damage Caused By Firefighting
Repair bulldozer lines, camping and staging areas to address public safety concerns
Repair facilities damaged by firefighting activities (e.g., fences and roads)
All such work must be completed within 30 days of the close of the incident period

36. Ineligible Costs
Costs incurred in the mitigation, management, and control of undeclared fires
Costs related to planning, pre-suppression, and recovery activities
Costs for the straight or regular time salaries and benefits of a subgrantee’s permanently employed or reassigned personnel
Costs for a declared fire burning on co-mingled Federal land when such costs are reimbursable to the State by another Federal agency

37. 089-0-24 Request for Fire Management Assistance
Documentation
FEMA Form:
Request for Fire Management Assistance
Eligible applicant must complete within 30 days
(also complete Designation of Applicant Agent and Direct Deposit Form)

38. Claim Forms

39. Complete agreement or contract with signatures and date
Documentation
Mutual Aid Agreements
Complete agreement or contract with signatures and date

40. Force Account Labor Summary
Documentation
FEMA Form
Force Account Labor Summary

41. (Labor Summary Record)
Documentation
Supporting documents
(Labor Summary Record)
Time sheets/cards; pay schedule/rate; payroll journals
dispatch sheets with names; sign-in/out sheets

42. Claim Forms

43. Force Account Equipment Summary
Documentation
FEMA Form
Force Account Equipment Summary

44. (Equipment Summary Record)
Documentation
Supporting documents
(Equipment Summary Record)
Dispatch sheets; sign-in/out logs
Equipment usage log
Equipment invoices
Rental documentation
Proof of equipment ownership

45. Claim Forms

46. Documentation
FEMA Form
Materials Summary

47. (Materials Summary Record)
Documentation
Supporting documents
(Materials Summary Record)
Invoices
Receipts
proof of payment
Cancelled checks – credit card billing
Purchase orders
Inventory cost records

48. Claim Forms

49. Documentation
The earlier you turn-in claim request information the sooner a project worksheet can be prepared for funding.

50. Web links FEMA Forms Equipment Codes/Rates
(pdf)
(xls workbook)
Equipment Codes/Rates
(pdf)

51. Contact Information
Wendell Allen, TDEM PAO
Office:
Mobil:
Emit Lopez, TDEM APAO
Office:
Mobil:

52. ?? Questions ??