Title
Accept and Disburse Funds from Federal Emergency Management Agency for AZ-TF1 Urban Search & Rescue Efforts Associated with Tropical Storm Olivia and Hurricane Florence (Ordinance S-45152)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to accept emergency funds totaling $1,219,800 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for Arizona Task Force One (AZ-TF1) Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) efforts associated with their deployments to Tropical Storm Olivia and Hurricane Florence. Further request to accept additional monies that may become available from FEMA for these efforts. Authorization is also requested for the City Controller to disburse all associated funds.
Report
Summary
FEMA was established in 1991 to respond to national disasters. In 1992, FEMA selected the Phoenix Fire Department to participate as one of the seven initial task force response teams by establishing AZ-TF1. The City of Phoenix Fire Department is the sponsoring agency for AZ-TF1, one of 28 FEMA National US&R Response System task forces. AZ-TF1 has rapidly deployed skilled personnel and state-of-the-art equipment to sites of natural disasters, terrorist attacks and building collapses such as Oklahoma City, 9/11, Hurricanes Rita, Ike, and Gustav. In addition to search and rescue, task force members provide immediate medical treatment to survivors, and hazardous materials (HazMat) monitoring and stabilization capabilities. Each US&R task force is deployable 24 hours a day/seven days per week, and is required to maintain a condition of continued preparedness and operational readiness.
On Sept. 7, 2018, one member of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Incident Support Team received activation orders to deploy to Honolulu, Hawaii to serve as the Information Officer for Tropical Storm Olivia. He facilitated communications between federal, state and local officials, gave on-air interviews, and managed social media posts. He returned to Phoenix on Sept. 14, 2018.
On Sept. 10, 2018, 45 members of AZ-TF1 received activation orders from FEMA to deploy to Raleigh, North Carolina to stand by for search and rescue efforts prior to Hurricane Florence making landfall. The team included 39 Phoenix firefighters, two Phoenix police officers, two City of Phoenix mechanics, a structural specialist, and a physician. AZ-TF1 is equipped with semi-trucks, logical/rescue equipment, structural collapse/water rescue gear, boat trailers and boats/motors, and generators and fuel. Personnel included highly trained specialists in structural rescue and hazardous materials experts. The deployment was extended after the initial impact of the Category 4 hurricane left serious flooding in the region. AZ-TF1 assisted in the evacuation of 82 people and 16 pets during the deployment, which ended Sept. 30, 2018.
Financial Impact
This request is to accept and disburse emergency funds from FEMA for reimbursement to the City of Phoenix for costs associated with AZ-TF1's deployment to Tropical Storm Olivia and Hurricane Florence.
FEMA funds for Tropical Storm Olivia: $19,800
FEMA funds for Hurricane Florence: $1,200,000
TOTAL: $1,219,800
Location
Out of city.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Fire Department.