Elizabeth Harman is FEMA's assistant administrator of grant programs. In this role, she oversees more than 50 different disaster and non-disaster grant and financial-assistance programs, representing approximately $2 billion.

Harman has worked in the fire service for 20-plus years as an administrator, an academic, a volunteer and career firefighter, and most recently served as director of the International Association of Fire Fighters' Hazardous Materials and Weapons of Mass Destruction Training Department. In fact, she's a seasoned professional, who has served as a volunteer firefighter with the Prince George's County (Md.) Fire Department and a career firefighter with the Fairfax (Va.) Fire and Rescue Department, and was a member of IAFF Local 2702. She also was the state administrator on exercise and training for the National Capital Region with the Maryland Emergency Management Agency. In this capacity, she helped coordinate disaster declarations under the Stafford Act, counsel counties on the assistance that was available to them, and coordinate Emergency Management Assistance Compact requests to provide aid to affected areas.

Harman joined FIRE CHIEF Associate Editor Mary Rose Roberts to discuss FEMA's Fire Prevention and Safety grant application period, which opened on Jan. 3, 2011, and will close at 5 p.m. eastern time on Feb. 4, 2011. The grant provides opportunities to departments who want to improve or develop a comprehensive fire-prevention program aimed at addressing a community's specific risks, as well as the health and safety of firefighters at incidents. In the podcast, she reveals mistakes applicants make during the grant-writing process and discusses the importance of reading this year's grant guidance to ensure programs meet its priorities. She also provided advice on how to avoid missteps when applying for the grant.