Title
2018 Fire Prevention & Safety Grant Application (Ordinance S-45331)
Description
Request retroactive authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to apply for and, if awarded, accept $79,020 in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 2018 Fire Prevention & Safety (FP&S) Grant Program. The application closed on Dec. 21, 2018. This request for retroactive authorization is due to the extremely short grant application timeline. Further request authorization for the City Treasurer to accept and for the City Controller to disburse any grant monies awarded. If not approved, the grant, if awarded, would be turned down.
Report
Summary
The purpose of FP&S grants is to enhance the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards by assisting fire prevention programs, supporting firefighter health, safety, research and development. The Fire Department's grant application requests $79,020 to purchase 18 laptop computers to support the department's Fire Investigations Division. The Division is charged with investigating fires that occur in occupied structures or are of a suspicious nature. Investigators currently lack the ability to readily access law enforcement electronic databases while working in the field. Laptop computers would provide this capability and significantly improve operational efficiency.
Since 2008, the Fire Department has been awarded over $100,000 in FP&S funding for local grants. In previous years, the Fire Department has received FP&S funding for High Rise Floor Warden Training, tablets and printers for Fire Inspectors, and smoke detectors for community outreach.
This item has been reviewed and approved, as well as Business Investment Request #2924, by the Information Technology Services Department.
Procurement Information
If awarded, the Fire Department will administer the grant in accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10.
Contract Term
Grants are anticipated to be awarded on or around June 1, 2019, and will have a one-year period of performance.
Financial Impact
If awarded, the City of Phoenix Fire Department would receive $75,258 in funding. A 5 percent cost share is required of all awardees. In-kind cost share is allowed in this grant program and will be utilized, in combination with a small hard match, to meet the required obligation. The Fire Department would be responsible for a matching cost share of $3,762.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The short grant application deadline did not allow time to take this item to the Public Safety and Veterans Subcommittee.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Milton Dohoney, Jr. and the Fire Department.