On 4/2/09, STFD3 responded to the report of a residential structure fire on Erindale Dr.  Flames were through the roof upon our arrival.  STFD3 personnel quickly made an interior and exterior attack, getting the flames under control.  The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and the cause is still under investigation.

On 4/4/09, STFD3 responded to the report of a residential structure fire on E. Birch.  STFD3 personnel quickly made an interior and exterior attack, getting the flames under control.  STFD3 was at the same structure for a small fire the previous evening.  The home was unoccupied at the time of the fire, and the cause is still under investigation.

On 4/8/09, STFD3 responded to a residential structure fire on Cypress St. in Slidell's area.  Fire personnel made an interior attack, extinguishing the fire. The home was unoccupied at the time.  A short in an outside electrical outlet may be the cause of the fire.

St. Tammany Fire District 3 held it's 2nd annual Open House on Saturday, April 25, 2009.  Located at 27690 Main Street in Lacombe, our open house displayed our apparatus, our personnel, and a few types of incidents we respond to; including vehicle extrication, and vehicle fires.  We promoted public safety and fire prevention utilizing our fire safety house, our brand new puppet show, and our newest member of STFD3, Sparky the Fire Dog.  We handed out door prizes donated by businesses in the community and offered free food to those who attended.  We consider this years open house a success and look forward to next year.

On Thursday, May 21, 2009, around 2:45pm St. Tammany Fire Dsitrict 3 responded to a residential structure fire at 28576 Highway 190.  Upon arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames comming from the home.  STFD3 personnel quickly gained control of the flames while comfirming no occupants were inside.  The cause of the fire remains under investigation.  STFD3 responded back to the home later that evening to extinguish a rekindle.

NEW ORLEANS - Northshore firefighters are questioning how ACORN qualified for federal firefighter assistance grant money.

"The grant was centered around fire departments," said St. Tammany Fire District 3 Chief Chuck Flynn. "I think there are so many other departments in the state of Louisiana or even in the nation for that matter that are far more deserving of this than an organization such as ACORN."

Chief Flynn applied for a $150,000 grant that was denied.

"It would have allowed us to put smoke alarms in every household in Lacombe," he said.

Flynn said the grant would have paid for roughly 4,000 smoke detectors with 10-year lithium batteries. His staff would have installed them at no cost.

"I think we had a real good cause for it for this year," he added. "I thought the shoe would fit for us to get a grant. I'm not dissatisfied that we did not get it, I'm dissatisfied that it wasn't a fire service, a fire department that got it.

"I'm as upset as anybody else," said Chris Kaufman, the chief of administration for St. Tammany Fire District 1 in Slidell. "We do the best we can with the money we're given and to think that type of grant money goes to a non-fire agency. There's criteria for the grant process that you have to qualify for."

St. Tammany Fire District 1 requested a $20,000 grant to pay for a hazard house, a small, portable home to demonstrate fire safety. Their grant was also denied.

"We struggle too hard to do what we do for the citizens of the State of Louisiana and absolutely, I'm bothered by it," Kaufman added. "We depend on those types of dollars to deliver those programs which we can't afford to deliver in our operating budget."

Both Flynn and Kaufman question how ACORN qualified for the grants in the first place. The DHS application states, to be eligible, an organization must be "recognized for their experience and expertise in fire prevention."

"Their mission statement does not state that they have any fire prevention activities whatsoever," Chief Flynn said.

"I don't see ACORN or any other agency that's not a fire agency delivering the type of fire safety education throughout our state," Kaufman added.

"Maybe they're trying to put out a bunch of political fires," Sen. David Vitter said Wednesday afternoon, "but they know nothing about real firefighting, so they don't qualify."

ACORN said Wednesday their fire safety program is administered out of their New Orleans office, but the money will be spent in 13 cities, none in Louisiana. For now, Congress has frozen ACORN's money, but Vitter wants the grant cancelled.

"This is not unique," Vitter added. "They have gotten millions, tens of millions of taxpayer dollar for a longtime, and that is what has to stop."

FEMA administers the program and points out, ACORN's money was awarded by the previous administration.

Both Flynn and Kaufman said they'll apply for the grant again next year.