What further guidance can be given for addressing the criteria considered in the Fire Service Panel review?

The primary information about fire service evaluation criteria is provided in the NOFO. Review each fire service evaluation criterion in the NOFO as each application section is prepared. Prepare responses to the criteria using language that is friendly for a fire service audience. Refer the fire service reviewers to information in the science narrative that would be helpful in understanding the proposal. Due to formatting restrictions figures, pictures, tables, and charts cannot be placed directly into the fire service criteria text boxes in FEMA GO. Instead, you can direct thefire service reviewers to any figures, pictures, tables, and charts that may be included in the science narrative. Fire service reviewers have full access to all of the proposal information. Further guidance is offered here, per criterion:

Purpose: Reviewers will consider your justifications of the study importance, which may be established by citing high injury rates as established by respected sources, such as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NFPA, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and USFA; or new trends toward increasingly high injury rates; and/or identification within the NFFF research priorities. Applicants may draw on their own experience and that of firefighters by providing anecdotal data useful for clarifying the purpose. If applying under Early Career Investigator, applicants should identify how the project will support the development of the Principal Investigator within the field of firefighter research. If applying under Preliminary Studies, applicants should consider the project being proposed as well as the potential results of a closely related future full study.

Potential Impact: In describing potential impact, projected numbers of reduced injuries or fatalities could be included to emphasize the impact of the (expected) results. If strategies to overcome implementation barriers are provided, this can further demonstrate the applicant’s knowledge of fire service realities and the change process.

Implementation by Fire Service: For implementation by the fire service, address how the fire service would adopt the (successful) results. It is best to address this issue for the fire service reviewers clearly. If future implementation would require a series of steps before the fire service would be ready for change, the applicant can suggest some appropriate strategies. Note that these areas will be addressed again under the "dissemination and implementation" criteria for the science reviewers.

Barriers: Barriers to timely completion of the study and the eventual implementation of the proposed results are important to discuss, especially those barriers that involve fire service participants, from recruitment and retention, to compliance and bias, to national and local political concerns, stigma, and any other pertinent factors specific to the project. If it is not possible to overcome a barrier, then address how it will be managed. Addressing these types of barriers, as well as the strategies to overcome them, is another way to underscore knowledge of the realities of the fire service.

Partners: Because fire service partnerships are a central element of a research team, development of partnerships prior to the application would be reflected in the detailed letters of support provided in the Appendix. Provide an overview of those relationships. In many cases, fire service reviewers will expect to see evidence of relevant national or regional partnerships that support the study’s purpose and goals and eventual national implementation. For example, if the population of interest were volunteer firefighters, then the National Volunteer Fire Council would be expected to be a helpful partner. If the project is a preliminary study or early career investigation it is good to note that to explain why there may be fewer partners necessary to support the smaller study designs.