Title
Request to Apply for and Accept Federal Fiscal Year 2019 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program Funds (Ordinance S-46538)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to retroactively apply for, and accept, if awarded, up to $346,418 from federal fiscal year 2019 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to fund two projects: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Decontamination and Fire Ground Survival Training for the Fire Department. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept, and for the City Controller to disburse, all funds related to this item. If not approved, the grant, if awarded, would be turned down.
Report
Summary
The AFG Program, administered through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), is intended to help the nation's fire service by providing vital funds to local fire departments across the country. The primary goal of the program is to meet the firefighting and emergency response needs of fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical service organizations, and State Fire Training Academies. Since 2001, AFG has helped firefighters and other first responders obtain critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training, and other resources necessary to protect the public and emergency personnel from fire and related hazards.
PPE Decontamination
The PPE Decontamination Project will establish a comprehensive PPE decontamination and cleaning project with an overall goal of improving firefighter health and safety by reducing repeated exposure to harmful contaminants on unclean or inadequately cleaned PPE and fire ground equipment. The funds will be utilized to purchase wet mitigation systems for response vehicles, new washers and dryers, and a downdraft table for use in the PFD laundry room. The total cost for this project is $229,914 with a city match of around $29,989.
Fire Ground Survival Training
The Fire Ground Survival (FGS) Training Project will certify Phoenix and regional partner department trainers to teach FGS to our personnel. The training will enhance first responder awareness of conditions on the fire ground and give our members the critical skills necessary to handle a firefighter emergency. The funds will be utilized to provide training to 30 instructors and purchase three training props, two of which will be trailer mounted for department-wide training. The total cost for this project is $116,504, with a city match of around $35,503.
Since 2008, the Fire Department has received more than $5 million in AFG funding. These grants were used to purchase portable radios, thermal imaging cameras, Incident Safety Officer System training, Automatic Chest Compression devices, Peer Support Team Training and Physical Therapy Equipment upgrades.
Procurement Information
The Fire Department will administer the grant in accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10.
Contract Term
The one-year grant Period of Performance is projected to begin on or around June 1, 2020.
Financial Impact
The grant is anticipated to have a 15 percent required cost match; funds are available in the Fire Department's operating budget.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Fire Department.