Title
2016 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Application (Ordinance S-43376)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to retroactively authorize the Fire Department to apply for $8,739,936 in 2016 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant funding. The application period closed on Feb. 10, 2017. Further request authorization to accept the funds and enter into a grant agreement, if the grant is awarded, and request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. If approval is not granted and the SAFER grant is awarded, the grant will not be accepted.
Report
Summary
The purpose of the SAFER Grant Program is to increase the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate protection from fire and fire-related hazards. The grant application requests $8,739,936 to hire 32 firefighter positions lost through attrition. If the grant request is approved, funding for these 32 positions will last for three years from the time of award.
The funding term and structure for this year's SAFER Grant Program has been modified from past years. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has increased the funding term to three years, but has implemented a cost share provision. Awardees are now responsible for contributing 25% of the costs for the first two years, and 65% of the cost for the third year. Additionally, the basis of salary and benefit calculations are limited to first year firefighter costs. Step increases and other wage adjustments for subsequent years are no longer allowed in the funding request.
Contract Term
The contract term will be for three years from the date of award. FEMA is anticipated to begin the first round of grant awards in July 2017.
Financial Impact
If the grant is awarded, the Fire Department will receive up to $5,389,627 in grant funding for 32 firefighter positions. A Phoenix match of at least $3,350,309 would be required over the three-year period of performance.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was retroactively recommended unanimously by the Public Safety and Veterans Subcommittee on March 8, 2017.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Fire Department.