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On March 14, U.S. Rep. Candice Miller announced that the Department of Homeland Security selected the Regional Alliance for Firefighter Training to receive more than $1 million in grants under the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program. Fire departments in Harrison Township, Macomb Township, St. Clair Shores, Shelby Township and Sterling Heights are among 18 throughout southeast Michigan that will benefit from the grant.

RAFT uses teleconferencing technology and equipment to create a link between fire departments in various communities, along with community colleges, to optimize training in areas such as fire suppression and prevention, vehicle extrication and arson management.

“The whole concept is that once we’re connected, we’ll be able to televise training and any messages,” Sterling Heights Fire Chief Steve Kovalcik said. With the system, he said people on both sides will be able to view each other during real-time broadcasts so interactive discussions can take place “We can have lectures and get information out. It will change the way we deliver messages with our personnel.”

Shelby Township Fire Chief George Morehouse said his department’s membership in RAFT, which existed when he took office 10 years ago, has been extremely beneficial to keeping firefighters trained and residents safe.

“What RAFT is established for is to raise the bar, if you will, for the kind of training our firefighters receive,” said Morehouse. “What it does is give our firefighters what we feel is the best training available to have them properly prepared.”

Through teleconferencing meetings, firefighters and paramedics are able to receive necessary training by an instructor in another jurisdiction without ever leaving the station. The result, Morehouse said, saves taxpayer money and keeps teams available to respond while still being able to train and hone their skills.

“The good part of it is that we can cut down on response time and the vehicles aren’t being stored outside in the cold during training to make room for the programs, which saves maintenance money,” said Morehouse. “They can stay all in their own building and take the training.”

Kovalcik said his department will similarly benefit.

“First and foremost, the fire department will receive better training and information while staying in the confines of their stations,” Kovalcik said. “They will also be better trained, better prepared and have better response times.”

Participation in RAFT has also improved the type of training firefighters receive, Morehouse said. Instead of having one person designated to train employees in everything, it is possible for departments to swap trainers and have one person train employees at various departments simultaneously.

“The whole philosophy comes to where, we want our instructors to be experts in what they’re instructing, so our guys can get the best training and become experts themselves. Instead of being the jack-of-all-trades in everything, but the master at none, we can get an instructor who is an expert in one area,” he said. “By sharing the instructors, we can do that.”

Harrison Township Fire Chief Carl Seitz agreed.

“The synergy of these departments allows us to share our specific expertise to serve our communities better,” Seitz said in a released statement. “This will help spread the cost of training and ties us into so many emergency response venues. The possibilities are endless. We are really excited about this.”

Miller said the grant was essential in order to keep communities safe and secure.

“I am pleased this grant was awarded to such a deserving organization,” Miller said via press release. “The Regional Alliance for Firefighter Training works to prepare all our public safety officials for their life-saving work. Through the classes RAFT provides, our brave firefighters and the people they serve will benefit through greater effectiveness and emergency preparedness. It is, as always, necessary for our first responders to be properly equipped so they can perform their invaluable work.”

Although each city’s final award amount hasn’t been announced, Kovalcik said he believes Sterling Heights will receive approximately $150,000 to $160,000 to implement the systems throughout the city. Awards to other jurisdictions will also be announced at a later time.

“Once we receive a dollar amount, we can find out when we can start to purchase (the system),” Kovalcik said, noting it should be purchased within a few months. All the participating communities will purchase their video-conference systems through the same company, which will be determined through a regular bid process.

Kovalcik said the Farmington Hills Fire Department has been in charge of “the whole thing” for the southeastern Michigan communities who received the grant and that department will take care of the process.