FETN Now Accepting Applicants for Grant-Writing Assistance.

CARROLLTON, Texas -- Fire & Emergency Training Network Offers Free Grant-Writing Assistance to Departments Seeking Federal Grant Funding from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program

Fire & Emergency Training Network (FETN), a division of PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning, today announced that it is officially accepting registrations for their grant-writing assistance service offered to fire and EMS agencies seeking funds from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (AFGP).

A recent appropriations bill passed by Congress for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allotted $600 million in federal funds for the 2005 AFGP. FETN is offering free grant-writing support to fire departments that choose to write grant proposals requesting a portion of this federal grant aid.

"FETN's experienced grant writers not only provide guidance to fire departments in developing and writing an effective narrative but they can also help navigate the departments through the lengthy application process," said Chief Randy Corbin (ret.), Vice President of FETN. "Half the battle of securing funding comes from knowing how to work your way through the system."

Since the DHS established the AFGP in 2002 (formerly known as the FIRE Act Grant), FETN has helped departments secure nearly $10 million in grant funds. Awards are made on a competitive basis and those with the highest scores are the first to be announced. Last year, FETN helped departments like the Healdton Volunteer Fire Department receive a $70,988 grant award within the first few weeks of announcements.

"FETN's grant assistance allowed us to receive aid for equipment and training we could never have had otherwise. We can protect ourselves better now," said Healdton Fire Chief Ronnie Hayes. "Their service made an otherwise intimidating process easy. It helped us tremendously."

"Timing is critical towards receiving assistance and FETN wants to help as many departments apply for federal grant funding as possible," said Lisa Baril, FETN's grant coordinator. "Departments who have their grant information ready, such as their details and risks, community demographics and risks, as well as information about the items they're requesting receive the most benefit from us and have the greatest success rate. They usually contact us early and we have no problems helping them with their narrative."

Many departments lack the resources they need to properly train their firefighters. A leading provider of fire training, FETN offers services to departments who plan to include training in their grant proposal.

"Training has always been a vital component of every fire department but at the same time an under funded budget item," said Randy Corbin. "Our goal is to help those departments who plan to include training in their grant application acquire the critical resources they need to be skilled firefighters. With the reduced number of fire responses, training becomes even more essential to maintain basic firefighting competence."

In the three years FETN has been offering grant-writing assistance, they have helped over 200 fire departments with grant applications. In 2003, departments who received FETN grant-writing assistance experienced an 81 percent success rate. With these federal grants, most departments purchase continuing education materials for their firefighters, new protective gear or equipment to use during emergencies, wellness and fitness programs, as well as the latest technology available for their stations.

To register for FETN's free grant writing service, visit www.fetn.com, call 866.472.6832 or email [e-mail].

About Fire & Emergency Training Network (FETN)

FETN, a division of PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning, provides quality training, education and information to empower emergency personnel to react safely, swiftly and capably. FETN reaches more than a quarter-million fire and EMS personnel each month, giving fire, EMS and technical rescue personnel access to consistent, quality training. For more than a decade, FETN has been providing the fire service with convenient access to training from the country's foremost experts on safety, rescue, terrorism, emergency medicine, multiple alarms, prevention and natural disasters. All of FETN's training is compliant with NFPA, DOT, ISO, OSHA, CECBEMS and other standards, enabling emergency response workers to learn about important regulations and satisfy certification requirements at a fraction of what it would cost to attend specialized workshops and seminars. To learn more about FETN, visit www.fetn.com.

About PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning

PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning is the leading provider of Integrated Learning Solutions for more than eight million professionals in the industrial, healthcare, banking, automotive, fire and emergency, government and law, and security markets. PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning's unique offerings include the world's largest satellite-delivered distance learning services; CD-ROM, Web-based and video training programs; and an Internet-enabled learning management system, which better enables corporations and government agencies to manage, track and measure their in-house training efforts. This unparalleled combination of content, custom solutions, technology and "any time/anywhere" delivery represents the state of the art in the fast-growing business-to-business training market. For more details on PRIMEDIA Workplace Learning, visit www.pwpl.com.