The Department of Homeland Security has asked the Academy to perform an independent assessment of the effectiveness of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program in meeting the program’s goals of protecting the health and safety of the public and of firefighting personnel.
The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program awards grants directly to local fire departments to enhance their ability to protect the health and safety of the public, as well as that of firefighting personnel, facing fire and fire-related hazards. The program is now in its fourth year of operation.
The purpose of this project is to develop an evaluation framework that will help ensure the program is meeting its legislative purposes and provide insight into what forms of assistance are most effective in achieving the programs’ primary purposes:
The work will incorporate the views of the professional associations, a representative group of fire departments (both career and volunteer), and other experts and interested persons regarding the best measures of progress toward the program’s long-term goals and will yield advice on possible strategic directions for the program.
The Academy has appointed the following individuals to a Panel to oversee and direct the study. The public may send comments on the composition of the panel for a period of seven (7) days after the posted date to mditmeyer@napawash.org.
James Kunde*Chair---Associate Professor and Program Coordinator, University of Texas, Arlington. Former Executive Director, Coalition to Improve Management in State and Local Government; Executive Director, Public Services Institute; Director of Programs, Charles Kettering Foundation; City Manager, City of Dayton, Ohio.
Paul D. Brooks — Assistant Fire Chief, Greensboro, North Carolina Fire Department; Manager, Office of Strategic Planning and Information Systems; treasurer and member of NC State Firemen’s Association; Vice-Chair, Commission on Fire Accreditation International; Member of the National Fire Protection Association 1710 Committee; faculty member, Fire and Rescue Management Institute at University of North Carolina, Charlotte; Consultant with Municipalities, non-profits, and other agencies for organizational development, strategic planning, and growth planning for distribution and concentration of fire resources. Former Program Manager, Greensboro Fire Department.
Harry P. Hatry*— Director, Public Management Program and former Director, State-Local Government Research Program, The Urban Institute. Former Associate, State-Local Finances Project, George Washington University; Office of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis.
Glenn Corbett—Assistant Professor of Fire Science, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, First Assistant Chief of the Borough of Waldwick Volunteer Fire Department, Waldwick New Jersey, and member of the Fire Code Advisory Council, State of New Jersey. Former Administrator of Engineering Services, San Antonio Fire Department.
Bruce D. McDowell*—President, Intergovernmental Management Associates. Former positions with U.S. Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations: Director of Government Policy Research; Executive Assistant to the Executive Director. Former Director, Governmental Studies, National Council on Public Works Improvement. Former positions with the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments: Director, Regional Management Information Service; Assistant Director, Regional Planning; Director, Program Coordination.
Darrel Stephens*—Police Chief, Charlotte/Mecklenberg, North Carolina. Former Police Chief and City Administrator, St. Petersburg, Florida; Executive Director, Police Executive Research Forum; Police Chief, Newport News, Virginia; Police Chief Largo, Florida; Assistant Police Chief, Lawrence, Kansas.
* Academy Fellow
