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Grant Writing
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Grant Writing |
Company and Web Site News
September 30, 2007
VFD Funding Group and VFD-Fire Group
Further Because of the growth of both companies, the VFD-Funding Group and the VFD-Fire Group are pleased to announce the successful further automation and streamlining the processes of obtaining financing and to locate reliable new and used fire trucks. "We have found it necessary to to simplify our forms and processes, along with closing all gaps which reduce the level of customer service we require of ourselves and so many have come to expect", says Will Griffin, the owner of both companies. During the years of successful business and rapid growth, many times the processes have been stalled or delayed, because of difficulties contacting owners of used trucks, the total lack of cooperation by used fire truck dealers and purported brokers, confirmation that manufacturers of new apparatus were providing excellent and prompt customer service, and strategic financing/banking relationships failing to live up to their pledges of rates and service. Often these financing sources and purported used fire truck brokers charged fees higher than those by the VFD-Funding Group and VFD-Fire Group, who actually did all of the work and more of it attempting to service the customers. This was certainly true for used apparatus and the financing of apparatus costing less than $50,000. To automate and simplify this process and reducing inefficiencies and diminishments of customer service, most of the initial forms and process are completed on-line, with some of the other subsequent documents made available to the customer immediately, so that both VFD-Funding Group and VFD-Fire Group can accumulate more of the vital information at the start of the processes. This will enable VFD-Fire to locate and close the sale of fire trucks, enable financing to be completed in a shorter period of time, and enable the staffs of both companies to process even more sales and financing for their customers. "It took us a while to learn who was a reliable and reasonable funding source and who were the honest, reasonable and professional dealers/brokers selling new and used apparatus. We now can spare and save our customers and ourselves a lot of time, grief, frustrations, efforts and money; by only dealing with those, who are reliable and professional, while using our new simplified processes and expanded resources. There are some financing/banking sources and some dealers/brokers we've seen, who have shown us how we owe it to our fellow firefighters to steer them toward the more professional and honest companies" explains Griffin. The new innovations are currently in place at http://VFD-Funding.com and at the http://New-Firetrucks.com and http://Used-FireTrucks.com web sites in the VFD-Fire Group. All of the web sites owned by Will Griffin Fire will adopt the new processes and features during the course of the coming months. The complete transition for all 50 web sites owned by Will Griffin Fire will be completed by the end of 2007.
September 19, 2007
T. E. Beveridge Becomes Director of
Marketing and Sales T. E. (Els) Beveridge has been named the marketing and sales director for Will Griffin Fire. Her primary focus will be for the customer service for all sales of used fire trucks and the general operations of Used-FireTrucks.com and the closer related web sites. T. E. Beveridge Comes to Will Griffin Fire with an education at Maryland University in Marketing and Business Admin. Additionally she is a graduate of the G.P.S.F. in Basic and Adv. Fire Fighting with 7 years in practical firefighting experience outside Boston and in the Atlanta area. She brings to the table advanced medical experience in trauma and search and rescue emergency medical care, as well as certifications as a graduate of Ga. Medical Institute, Graduating with honors, as a Xray Tech - Lab Tech - Phlebotomist and with her M.A. certificates. Respected among her peers with a reputation as hardworking and loyal, she strives to bring to the table an intuitive open minded approach to client satisfaction and an innate practical hands-on understanding of what it is to face a fire and require ONLY the best equipment possible to protect and save the lives of the public and the publics properties as well as a desire to save the lives of fellow firefighters depending on excellence in hardware backup under adverse conditions and within limited budgeting restraints. Els knows first hand the feeling of a SCBA on your back and what it is to crawling side by side with fellow fire fighters in a pitch black - smoke filled inferno. What it is to have to depend on that gear for survival and rescue. No challenge too diverse and with a thirst to learn and to stay updated on the newest techniques for best performance in a bad situation, she gained experience in Haz-Mat Rescue - Rescue Diving - Fire Fighting Instruction courses and has also dedicated hundreds of hours in professional and personal time to the rewards of providing educational awareness for youths from pre-K school to high school ages in both private and the public school systems in an effort to enlighten and save lives. Elsibeth brings a core felt honesty, respect and understanding for the fire science industry and the men and women serving the public and risking their lives everyday to complete a shift and return to station alive and successful at what they do best. She looks forward to being available to answer your questions and to continuing to be a part of a field of expertise she feels fortunate to be a part. In her words: " Will Griffin Fire employees are real Firefighters. These are not college graduates, without experience in a structural fire, that sit in a classroom and are told what it feels like to drip ice at midnight in 20F degree weather, 100F+ on a hot summer afternoon, and as the hoses go down and the heat turns up. - These men and myself, know what you face everyday out there; from financial & budgeting restraints to trying to define what type of apparatus and equipment is needed, to SBCA tank survival, to burns that heal slowly and the death watches for a brother fallen in the line of duty. I enjoy being part of this team, because you can count on us at Will Griffin Fire to get the job done right. To satisfy ALL of your needs; BETTER - FASTER and MORE AFFORDABLE! Because firefighters are a small family, YOU are a priority not a number on a spread sheet and these men and myself take THAT bond seriously. This is why our company policy is that we give more than twice the customer service and at half the cost that any of our competitors practice and I really like working in this type of environment and with the team of great folks we have as our associates."
July 19, 2007
VFD Funding Becomes a Division of
Will Griffin Fire VFD-Funding has become a division of Will Griffin Fire, which is a newly formed holding company, based in the Daytona Beach are of Florida. The changes and reorganization became necessary as the result of the growth of VFD-Funding. VFD-Funding owner, Will Griffin, found this change necessary, so that compartmentalized focus can be given to the various activities, notably the core business of VFD and municipal financing. The new companies and their focus are: Will Griffin Fire - This is the holding company for the entire cluster of companies and web sites. Will Griffin Fire will provide all of the web and marketing services to all companies. Elsibeth Beveridge has become the marketing director for Will Griffin Fire. In addition to the subsidiary groups and their web sites listed below, Will Griffin Fire will manage and maintain resource web sites such as VFD-Resources.com, Fire-Stations.net, and Volunteer-Firefighter.com. Two other web sites Firefighting-Equipment.biz and Firefighting-Supplies.com are under consideration for divestiture, even though they may be used to list/market firefighting apparatus, because of the need to focus on the core financing business and because of the activities/commerce volumes of the three (3) subsidiary companies and the lack of desire of the owner to participate in the marketing and sales of firefighting equipment. VFD-Funding Group - VFD Funding Group will provide financing to all companies for the purchases of firefighting apparatus, firefighting equipment, ambulance acquisitions, EMS equipment, fire stations, and municipal infrastructure projects. VFD-Funding.com will be the hub web site for the group and the web sites in this cluster will be VFD-Funding.com, VFD-Financing.com, Fire-Grants.com, VFD-Loans.com, FireTruck-Leasing.com, Fire-Stations.com, Firehouse-Financing.com, Firehouse-Funding.com, Ambulance-Funding.com, 911-Funding.com, 911-Financing.com, Lease-Programs.com, Tax-Exempt-Leasing.com, Hospital-Funding.com and Municipal-Funding.com. John Tyson has recently joined the VFD-Funding Group to assist with the process of financing requests, notably for fire station funding. VFD-Fire Group - The VFD-Fire Group will handle all new and used firefighting apparatus sales and marketing. This will include international sales and exporting. The flagship web site for the group will be VFD-Fire.com, with these web sites, each free standing and servicing customers: VFD-Fire.com, New-FireTrucks.com, New-Fire-Trucks.com, Tanker-Pumpers.com, Pumper-Tanker.com, Used-FireTrucks.com, Used-Fire-Trucks.com, Used-Fire-Apparatus.com, Used-Pumpers.com, Used-Tankers.com, Used-Quints.com, Used-Rescues.com, FireTruck-Dealers.com, Fire-Truck-Dealers.com, Fire-Trucks-Sale.com, International-FireTrucks.com. VFD-Fire Group is actively changing the new apparatus manufacturers and dealers, with a preference being given to the smaller and more family owned businesses, who are not only building the better apparatus, they are building them faster, have less issues, and they are far more affordable than what is currently being offered by the larger and more corporate structured manufacturers. Interested dealers and manufacturers should visit: Dealer Agreements for more information. VFD-EMS Group - The VFD-EMS Group will market and sell new & used ambulances and EMS equipment. This division will be headed by John Fernandez, who will be the V.P. and COO of the group and he will become a minority partner in the group. The flagship web site will be VFD-EMS.com with these web sites, each free standing and servicing customers: VFD-EMS.com, New-Ambulance.com, New-Ambulances.com, Used-Ambulances.com, EMS-Supplies.biz, and EMS-Equipment.biz. Because many EMS departments also do rescues and extrication, in conjunction with the VFD-Fire Group, VFD-EMS Group will also sell new and used rescue apparatus. No changes in the low financing rates, administration fees and commissions on apparatus sales will occur with any of the new companies. These rates, all which are 1/2 of the general industry rates, will remain in full force and effect. For more information: WillGriffinFire.com
May 7, 2007
VFD Funding to Spin Off Fire Truck
and Ambulance Sales VFD-Funding Group will soon begin the process of splitting off the new & used fire truck sales and the Ambulance/EMS business to form two new companies. The change has come as the result of the explosive growth in all areas including financing, fire apparatus/equipment sales, and ambulance/EMS related sales. VFD Funding Group will retain a total of twenty-two (22) web sites, which relate to financing and general fire department services, which will include: VFD-EMS.com, Fire-Stations.net, VFD-Resources.com and Volunteer-Firefighter.com For the firefighting apparatus and equipment sales, a new company, Will Griffin Fire, will be created and the existing web site will become the flagship web site for all twenty (20) of the existing web sites relating to fire apparatus and equipment sales. Will Griffin Fire will also participate with subcontractors to build various models of firefighting apparatus and sales will be on a global basis. For the ambulance and equipment sales, another new company EMS-Equipment will have a total of five (5) web sites such as New-Ambulances.com, Used-Ambulance.com and EMS-Supplies.biz. A manager to administer the day to day operations is now being sought. The new companies will be chartered out of the State of Florida and the completion of this process is to be on or before September 1, 2007. Each will have a similar theme to their web sites, but each will have characteristics which will help to define which of the three companies is the owner and operator of the web sites. All web sites will remain under the same hosting plan/service and will receive the same web site development support. Although there may be three (3) companies, the web sites for each will continue to link to and support each other. Additional companies and web sites may be acquired and developed by each of the three companies and this is anticipated to occur. VFD Funding Group will provide all financing and financial support for the two (2) newly formed companies. The reason for this business decision was predicated upon the massive and rapid growth each of the web sites are now producing on a global basis. Additionally, as all of the web sites are now beginning to rank high in the search engines, proprietary methodologies to cause these sites to rank higher have been initiated and it is anticipated that more growth will continue to occur. During the past year, VFD Funding Group has dropped several used fire truck dealers and manufacturers, and substituted these with smaller companies, who are providing better prices and apparatus. Likewise, the strategic alliance agreements with several smaller finance companies were let to expire without renewal. The strategy was developed and adopted to get fire departments the best price for their used apparatus, while making new apparatus and the financing of these to be more affordable and reliable. VFD-Funding Group also pursued global sales and financing opportunities, which developed. In explaining the changes and expansion, VFD Funding Group owner Will Griffin states: "There are some competitor companies who have hated us, when we tried to openly and honestly work deals with them. Some even got smart beyond wisdom. Now that we've formed alliances with several new manufacturers, international banks, we've cut our fees across the board to 1/2 of what almost all others charge, and now adding our next phase to dominate the on-line fire truck, ambulance, and equipment sales and financing, market; I almost feel sorry for some of our competitors and those who have chosen to be competitors, rather than those with whom we cooperate. Certainly as we are forming other strategic alliances and in order to compete with us now, some of our current competitors will have to increase their costs, while also reducing their fees lower than ours. Some of these companies, although around for years, may be acquired by us within the next year or so." The new fire truck sales business will be managed through the promotion of VFD-Funding Group staff, who administer the listing and selling of new and used apparatus, however, strategic alliance agreements with manufacturers will still be negotiated by Will Griffin and the VFD Funding Group. A nation-wide recruitment for a manager and staff for EMS-Equipment will be launched in the very near future. For more information, please contact: Mr. O. Kheir, VP-Business Development
March 21, 2007
VFD Funding Now Exporting and
Financing Exports VFD-Funding Group is now able to provide funding services to include international sales and financing of firefighting apparatus, ambulances and equipment. Financing is provided through all of the major USA based banks, with guarantees underwritten by the U.S. Ex-Im Bank. To reflect and expand upon this, the VFD-Funding Group has launched http://International-FireTrucks.com Also due to this international expansion and the continued rapid growth in the domestic USA market, VFD Funding Group has also launched several other new web sites, while acquiring more domain names and web sites. This now brings the total number of web sites in the VFD Funding Group to forty-five (45), of which twenty-one of these list, sell and finance fire trucks and ambulances. To see a complete list of all of our top search engine ranking web sites, please visit: Our Other Fire Department Web Sites.
February 28, 2007
VFD Funding to Begin Global Financing and VFD-Funding Group has begun expanding funding services to include financing of firefighting apparatus, ambulances and equipment on a global basis. Up until now, all financing services were for USA fire departments and were underwritten by the major USA banks. We have been working diligently with the U.S. Dept. of State, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, and ExIm Bank to provide financing for firefighting apparatus on a global basis, to meet our international inquiries and requests. Currently the VFD Funding Group is processing requests for over 300 fire trucks and the financing of these for countries such as China, the Philippines, Bangladesh and Iraq. We have begun the process of also seeking more international firefighting apparatus manufacturers for strategic alliances to meet the market demands. Similarly, the VFD Funding Group is pursuing a domestic USA manufacturer to begin construction of a series of firefighting apparatus to meet the needs for both USA fire departments and those globally. The types of apparatus include a brush/wildfire unit, a RIT unit, and two versions of a mini-rescue-pumper/quick-attack. Both of the mini-rescue-pumper models will come with the options of either the apparatus itself, or a fully equipped model as a package, which can receive 100% financing. VFD-Funding will announce the final form and the offering of the apparatus, as soon as a manufacturer is selected and the demo units are constructed and made available for review. The expansion into global financing and the construction of a series of firefighting apparatus are the results of a large volume of international requests for service and in conjunction with VFD Funding Group owner, Will Griffin, being named to the Business Advisory Council of the U.S. Congress.
January 15, 2007 Raymond J. Roberts Joins VFD-Funding Group VFD-Funding Group is pleased to announce that Lt. Cmdr. Raymond J. (RJ) Roberts, USN-Reserve, has joined the company as the east coast fire truck sales and project manager. Mr. Roberts duties will include assisting fire departments in determining their apparatus needs, selecting appropriate used apparatus, configuring new apparatus, and providing fire departments with assistance in selling their used apparatus through the various VFD-Funding Group Web sites. RJ is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, with his degree in Mechanical Engineering. He has served in the U.S. Navy as an officer and he is currently a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserves. He is the commanding officer of the Roanoke Naval Reserve Unit, who has won leadership awards for the past four (4) consecutive years. He also serves as the Certified Coast Guard Liaison Training Officer. . As the Lieutenant Commander, RJ was the Assistant Project Superintendent at the Naval shipyard at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in 2005, where he also received additional training as an Engineering Duty Officer. Since 2004, serving as a Lieutenant Commander, RJ was the Operations Officer for the U.S. Navy in New York, NY; where for Fleet Week, he coordinated over 20 federal, state and. local agencies in logistics and security and he is certified as the Port Services Officer and Operations Officer Ahsore. Prior to this and during his term of active duty service, RJ was the Lieutenant and Fire Officer for the USS Dale. From 1995-2005 RJ was employed as the facilities manager for the Suffolk County Water Authority, located at Oakdale, NY. Because of these skills and experiences RJ also will be tapped to assist the VFD-Funding Group in our municipal infrastructure division, regarding project management and financing of water and water treatment plant financing. Per his firefighting training, skills and experiences, in addition to those he obtained during his term of active US Navy service; RJ was a Lieutenant for the Bay Shore Fire Department. Additionally he is a past and Honorary Member of the Bay Shore Fire Department Penataquit Hose Company #1. He served on Truck, Fundraiser, and Training Committees. He has been both the Captain and Lieutenant of the Bay Shore Fire Department Drill Team. He was also a member and 3-Time State Champion Bay Shore Junior Fire Department Drill Team 1975-1984. RJ is based out of Concord, North Carolina. RJ can be reached on his cell phone at (631) 872-0797 or through e-mail at RJRoberts@VFD-Funding.com
January 8, 2007 T. G. Wolcott Joins VFD-Funding Group Toby G. Wolcott has joined VFD Funding group as the Municipal-Funding Project Manager, to help manage the financing of fire station construction and municipal infrastructure projects. Mr. Wolcott's responsibilities will include all customer relations and the marketing of our financing products available through all of our major bank relationships. Municipal funding has grown to be a very large endeavor for the VFD Funding group, it is an extension to our municipal fire department services, and we are now processing over $1.5 billion in these types of infrastructure projects, which include fire stations, storm-water projects, water, sewage, roads, bridges and municipal utilities. Mr. Wolcott is a graduate of the University of Southern Florida, with a degree in business administration. Mr. Wolcott's decades of experience has been in sales and customer relations, which are essential areas to us to service our customer communities at the levels which have become expected of us. He also has many years of experiences in the technologies, insurance and healthcare industries, which are also necessary per the needs of our customer communities. Toby Wolcott is based in Louisville, Kentucky, but he will manage the municipal infrastructure projects throughout the USA. You can contact Toby at (502) 345-5405 - cell, or TGWolcott@Municipal-Funding.com
Contact us at VFD-Funding today or fill out our convenient on-line feedback form, give us your wish list and tell us a little about your organization and then let's see what all we may be able to do for you and your volunteer fire department, rescue squad or EMS service. REMEMBER, there are NO up front costs or fees required. Last modified: September 21, 2008
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