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FROM: Garret Olson, Fire Chief
Prepared By: Julie Cox, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT APPLICATION FOR 2013
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize staff to submit a grant application for an estimated $153,000 to the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program to fund
Rescue Systems – II class for 25 firefighters.
2. If grant is awarded, authorize the City Manager to accept and appropriate the funds to Fire
Department Training Division.
DISCUSSION
State and federal grants are occasionally offered to assist local governments with the financial
impacts associated with daily operations and/or mandated programs. The Federal Assistance to
Firefighters Grant Program is one of these programs. The primary goal of the grant program is to
help fire departments meet their firefighting and emergency response needs. In fiscal year 2013
Congress appropriated $288.8 million for this program, an increase of $3.3 million from 2012.
Grant funding requested will provide training to 25 firefighters by sending them to the Rescue
Systems-II class. The remaining firefighters have completed the course as the Fire Department has
identified completion of Rescue Systems II as a minimum desired competency for all firefighters,
engineers, and captains. This grant will enable the department to train its remaining non-Rescue
Systems II certified personnel to perform advanced rescues in complex emergency environments
including collapsed unreinforced masonry, concrete tilt-up, heavy timber, single and multifamily
structures and commercial buildings.
The funding to support this training was eliminated during the recent economic downturn. The
City’s 2006 and draft-2013 local hazard mitigation plans identify earthquakes and structural
collapse as risks for our community. If awarded this grant, the response capabilities of the Fire
Department would be significantly enhanced for this risk category.
The California Office of the State Fire Marshal certified Rescue Systems-II class (Advanced Heavy
Rescue) is a forty-hour (five 8-hour days) hands-on instructor led class which teaches the advanced
skills and techniques necessary to safely conduct effective search and rescue operations at structure
collapse incidents in reinforced and unreinforced masonry (URM), concrete tilt-up, and heavy
timber buildings. This level is also capable of conducting high angle rope rescue (not including
highline operations), confined space rescue, and trench/excavation rescue. Students utilize a wide
variety of specialized tools and heavy equipment in breaching walls and floors, and in the creation
of shoring and stabilization systems, which allows for safe victim search and extrication. This class
Meeting Date
Item Number 01-07-2014
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ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT APPLICATION FOR 2012 Page 2
requires a specialized training facility with elaborate props used to simulate collapsed buildings and
structures. This course can only be delivered at a State Fire Training approved site. The training
facilities are located in Southern California (North Net Training Center in Anaheim) and Northern
California (Menlo Park).
FISCAL IMPACT
The grant budget request includes: Personnel- $111,781; Fringe Benefits- $2,068; Course fees-
$16,250; and Travel- $22,571.
Account Grant Request
Personnel 111,781
Fringe Benefits 2,068
Course Fees 16,250
Travel (gas, food, lodging) 22,571
TOTAL REQUEST $152,670
If grant funding is received from the Assistance to Firefighter Grant Program a ten percent match
($15,300) will be required. The Department would use $15,300 of the Training budget to meet the
match requirement. The funds would be covered from the 2014-15 Fire Department budget.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies. This is not recommended as fire service
grant opportunities are limited.
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