HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-03-2017 Item 08 San Luis Obispo Off Highway Vehicle Grant Application Meeting Date: 1/3/2017
FROM: Garret Olson, Fire Chief
Prepared By: Julie Cox, Administrative Analyst
SUBJECT: SAN LUIS OBISPO OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE GRANT APPLICATION
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize Fire Department staff to submit grant application to San Luis Obispo County Off
Highway Vehicle grant program in the amount of $32,628.00 to purchase one Off Highway
Vehicle, configured with a mobile radio and headset system; and
2. Authorize City Manager to execute documents necessary to appropriate the grant funds upon
notification that the grant has been awarded; and
3. Delegate the Purchase Authority to the Finance Director to review quotes and award
contracts or purchase orders.
DISCUSSION
Background
Annually, the State of California distributes Off-Highway Vehicle In-Lieu Fee funding to the
County of San Luis Obispo and other counties that have off-highway vehicle recreation facilities.
These funds are derived from a four dollar In-Lieu Fee included in the registration fee that are
paid by the owners of off highway vehicles.
The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors has approved a competitive process for the
distribution of sixty percent (60%) of the County’s annual receipts of Off -Highway Vehicle In-
Lieu Fees to other governmental agencies and non-profit organizations.
Grant Request
The City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department is requesting authorization to submit a grant to San
Luis Obispo County Off Highway Vehicle grant program for $32,628 to purchase one Off
Highway Vehicle, mobile radio and headset system.
For many years the City of San Luis Obispo Fire Department has been providing search and
rescue, and Paramedic care to the citizens of San Luis Obispo, and its guests who enjoy our open
space. The city’s open space includes; recreational motor use, mountain biking, and hiking in
legal authorized city trails, and some unauthorized trails used by motorcyclist. The Fire
Department has struggled to gain access to certain areas of open space, due to our inability to
gain motorized vehicle access with our personnel and medical rescue equipment. The
Department is requesting County Off Highway Vehicle (OHV) Grant funds to build a specialized
rescue vehicle which can access these OHV and open space locations to render aid to people who
become injured, trapped, or lost. The Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) will have the the capability to
go off road, and tactically insert personal and rescue equipment to parts of our open space
response area that we have never before been able to access with a normal 4x4 vehicle. UTV’s
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provide quicker access, specialized 4x4 capability, to reach victims who are trapped, lost or
injured. With this specialized piece of equipment, we will be able to better serve our citizens who
daily enjoy our cities OHV, and open space trails.
The City of San Luis Obispo is home to the busiest open space areas in the County. On a daily
basis, hundreds of people enjoy our mountain bike trails, hiking trails, and off highway areas.
People who utilize these open space areas routinely become, injured, trapped, lost, and require
prompt life saving measures, specialized rope rescue, and need to be extricated from these
limited access areas and transported to nearby hospitals for continuation of medical care.
Firefighter-Paramedics need prompt access to remote and challenging areas in order to provide
life saving measures to these victims. In a life safety rescue scenario every minute is critical.
From the time of the 911 call, to the time of victim access, every second counts to provide the
highest level of medical care to a victim. This UTV will give the Firefighter-Paramedics of San
Luis Obispo access to victims in areas where our response times are delayed, and only accessible
by helicopter or are greatly delayed by accessing on foot. This UTV will allow us to extricate
victims from open space areas. These critical rescue functions take place monthly in our City,
and we provide life safety rescue functions to nearby jurisdictions on a weekly basis.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Purchase of a vehicle is not a project as defined of the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA).
CONCURRENCE
Public Works – Fleet concurs with the request.
FISCAL IMPACT
Grant requested will provide funds for the purchase of the vehicle, mobile radio and headset
system. Funds requested total $32,628. There is no match required for the grant. A Fire
Department mechanic estimates the ongoing maintenance for the vehicle is provided within the
Fire Department budget, estimated at $400.00 annually.
ALTERNATIVES
The Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies. This is not recommended as the fire
service grant opportunities are limited and the grant funds would only serve to enhance the
effectiveness of the Fire Department.
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