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Home My WebLink About06-05-2012 c8 fire prevention and safety grant requestcounci l ac en 6a Repoit C I T Y O F S A N L U I S O B I S P O FROM : Charlie Hines, Fire Chie f Prepared By :Julie Cox, Administrative Analys t SUBJECT :FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY GRAN T RECOMMENDATIO N 1.Authorize the City's submittal of a grant application in the amount of $230,000 t o Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)for fire prevention and safety gran t for 2012-13 . 2.Authorize the City Manager to accept and appropriate the funds to the Fire Department if the grant is awarded to the City . DISCUSSION Backgroun d Following an increase in fire deaths in the City of San Luis Obispo in the last year, thre e Departments (Parks and Recreation, Police and Fire) have researched and developed a safet y awareness, education, and smoke alarm check and installation program . The program targets at-ris k groups (seniors aged 60 and over, persons with disabilities, deaf/hard of hearing, and young adult s aged 18-24). The goal of the program is to prevent fire deaths, injuries, and residential fires in th e City of San Luis Obispo . The 2010 census data indicates an increasing older population in the City of San Luis Obispo . There are 5,414 individuals, 12 percent of the City of San Luis Obispo population, who are 65 and over. The State percentage is 11 .4 percent . Analysis of the statistics from the American Communit y Survey 2006-2010 provides a breakdown of seniors by age group : 1,834 individuals age 65-74 year s (4 .1 percent); 1,628 age 75 — 84 years (3 .6 percent); and 1,138 age 85 years and over 2 .5 percent . The senior population has increased since the American Community Survey was conducted as indicated by the 2010 census data . There are close to 2,000 persons age 65 and over living alone .O f these single households, 499 are male and 1,458 are female . According to the Hearing Los s Association of California one in ten people have a hearing loss . The grant target population wil l include seniors age 60 and above . In the last year in the City of San Luis Obispo there were three fire deaths with two involving senio r citizens . In both cases, the senior citizens' smoke alarms were not working . It has been determined that additional education and assistance in checking smoke alarms and installing new batterie s and/or new smoke alarms is needed to prevent future fire deaths . Also of concern is the issue o f seniors falling ; falls are a threat to the health and independence of older adults and can significantl y limit their ability to remain self-sufficient . Therefore, a program called Remembering When : A Fire and Fall Prevention Program for Older Adults developed by National Fire Prevention Associatio n (NFPA) and the Center for Disease Control was selected to address both fire and fall prevention . A Meeting Dat e June 5, 201 2 Item Number C8 Report Title Page 2 With two universities near San Luis Obispo, Cal Poly and Cuesta Community College, the City ha s a higher concentration of young adults aged 18-24 . According to the 2006 — 2010 American Community Survey five-year estimates, the 18-24 age group is 34 percent of the city populatio n (15,300 individuals). This at-risk age group may fail to understand the safety issues involved i n removing smoke alarm batteries, burning candles, smoking, alcohol consumption, and unsaf e housing . Through presentations, special events and recruiting volunteer student groups to distribut e fire prevention information door to door in targeted neighborhoods, an effective program will b e implemented to educate young adults on fire prevention and prevent fire deaths, injuries an d residential fires . Progra m This grant application is a collaborative between Parks and Recreation Department, Polic e Department and Fire Department . The grant, if funded, will provide a fire safety awareness , education and smoke alarm check and installation program for seniors, persons with disabilities , deaf/hard of hearing and young adults age 18-24 . The fire prevention and safety grant program plans to include the following : 1)A collaborative effort between three city departments (Parks and Recreation, Fire an d Police) utilizing the expertise and knowledge to increase safety for senior citizens, person s with disabilities, persons who are deaf/hard of hearing and young adults in the City of Sa n Luis Obispo . 2)A 20 hour Project Coordinator will coordinate the three way partnership and implement th e Safety Program for senior citizens, persons with disabilities, persons who are deaf/hard o f hearing and young adults . Safety program will include safety messages throug h presentations, media and special events, smoke alarm testing and installation, fall preventio n for senior citizens and education on calling 9-1-1 . 3)An evidence based presentation,Remembering When : A Fire and Fall Prevention Progra m for Older Adults developed by NFPA and the Center for Disease Control will be provided b y Project Coordinator and/or trained volunteers for senior audiences . 4)Safety presentations for persons with disabilities and deaf/hard of hearing . 5)Safety presentation for young adults on safety hazards including : removing smoke alar m batteries, burning candles, smoking, alcohol consumption and unsafe housing . 6)A presentation,Tips on Making an Effective 9-1-1 Call,will be provided by the Polic e Department Communications Technician to seniors, persons with disabilities, deaf/hard o f hearing and young adults . 7)Door-to-door distribution of smoke alarm information . Volunteer student groups from Cal Poly will distribute the safety information . Prior to the distribution, the students will receiv e training on fire safety and be encouraged to discuss smoke alarm safety with residents a s they distribute the information door-to-door . Information will include the availability of fre e smoke alarms and installation for the targeted age groups by contacting the City of San Lui s Obispo Fire Department . 8)Participation at special events that target seniors, disabled, deaf/hard of hearing and youn g adults such as Senior Expo, Area Agency on Aging events and Orientation Week at Cal Pol y and Cuesta Community College providing fire prevention promotional items such as canva s C8-2 Report Title Page 3 bags used for grocery shopping and a magnet or notepad with a fire prevention messag e printed on the item . 9)Media outreach : Safety information and education materials on website, press releases , advertisements in the Senior Services Directory and Cal Poly newspaper and Cuest a Community College newspaper and other appropriate media outlets . 10)Education outreach through messaging on items distributed at special events such a s notepads, canvas shopping bags and night lights . 11)Testing and installation of smoke alarms using long life batteries by Fire Department Intern s for individuals with limited ability to change the battery . Dowels will be distributed to assist individuals in testing their smoke alarms . 12)Outreach and presentations to community groups that work with the persons with disabilitie s and deaf/hard of hearing to provide smoke alarms . Installation will be provided if needed . The Program Coordinator will meet quarterly with the collaborative committee (representative s from Parks and Recreation, Police and Fire) to review statistical reports, seek input, revie w upcoming schedule of events and make any needed adjustments to the program . Budge t The budget includes personnel cost of $25,000 and supply/equipment cost of $205,000 . Personne l costs include a half time City Worker 4 to coordinate the program, ten additional hours a week fo r the Fire Interns for smoke alarm checks/installations and an additional 54 hours fo r Communications Technician for 911 presentations . Program supplies include education literatur e and DVD's, smoke alarms (standard smoke alarms and specialized smoke alarms for deaf and har d of hearing) smoke alarm batteries and promotional items (night lights, notepads and canvas bag s with fire safety message). CONCURRENCE S This grant application has the concurrence of the Parks and Recreation Department and the Polic e Department . FISCAL IMPACT If the City were to receive the grant funding from FEMA, there is no match requirement . There would be no additional cost to the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2012-13 . If the grant is not funded , the program will not happen. If the grant is funded, funding will be for one year . If the program i s funded and successful, additional funding to continue the program will be requested through grant s or in the 2013-15 Financial Plan . ALTERNATIVES The Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies . This is not recommended as fir e prevention and education grant opportunities are limited and the grant funds would provid e important prevention programs and smoke alarms to at risk groups . C8-3 Report Title Page 4 T/Council Agenda Reports/2012/Fire/eCAR Fire Safety and Prevention Grant