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Status: Pending
Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Assistance to submission
Firefighters Grant
Application ID: EMW-2025-FG-04668
OMB number: 1660-0054, Expiration date: 11/30/2023 View burden statement System for Award Management (SAM.gov) profile
Please identify your organization to be associated with this application.
All organization information in this section will come from the System for Award Management (SAM) profile for that organization.
CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY
Information current from SAM.gov as of: 06/07/2026
UEI-EFT: PBMZGAPS38P4
DUNS (includes DUNS+4): 614150373
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 953674780
Organization legal name: CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY
Organization (doing business as) name:
Mailing address: 68700 AVENIDA LALO GUERRERO CATHEDRAL
CITY, CA 92234-1208
Physical address: 68700 AVENIDA LALO GUERRERO CATHEDRAL CITY, CA 92234-1208
Is your organization delinquent on any federal debt?
SAM. gov registration status: Active as of 04/22/2026
• We have reviewed our bank account information on our SAM.gov profile to ensure it is up to date Applicant information
Please provide the following additional information about the department or organization applying for this grant.
Applicant name (i.e., fire department name)
Cathedral City Fire & EMS
Main address of location impacted by this grant
Main address 1
68-700 Avenida Lalo Guerrero
Main address 2 Optional
City State/territory
Cathedral City California
Zip code Zip extension
92234 1208
In what county/parish is your organization physically located? If you have more than one station, in what county/parish is your main station located? Riverside
Applicant characteristics
The Assistance to Firefighters Grants Program's objective is to provide funding directly to fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations or a State Fire Training Academy for the purpose of protecting the health and safety of the public and first responder personnel against fire and fire-related hazards. Please review the Notice of Funding Opportunity Announcement (NOFO) for information on available program areas and for more information on the evaluation process and conditions of award.
Please provide the following additional information about the applicant.
Applicant type
Fire Department/Fire District
Is this grant application a regional request? A regional request provides a direct regional and/or local benefit beyond your organization. You may apply for a regional request on behalf of your organization and any number of other participating eligible organizations within your region. • Yes
No
What kind of organization do you represent?
All Paid/Career
How many active firefighters
does your department have who
perform firefighting duties?
43 How many of your active
firefighters are trained to the
level of Firefighter l or
equivalent?
43 How many of your active
firefighters are trained to the
level of Firefighter ll or
equivalent?
28 Are you requesting training funds in this application to bring 100% of your firefighters into compliance with NFPA 1001?
O Yes
: No
Which of the following standards does your organization meet regarding physicals? If physicals are not required then do not select any option. (optional)
• Meets NFPA or 1582 standard
Meets NTSB or DOT standard
• Meets State/Local standard
Please describe in the box below your training program and your plans to bring your membership up to Firefighter II.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS currently have 43 active firefighters, of whom 28 are trained to the Firefighter Il level (NFPA 1001). The department has an active plan to bring the remaining 15 members into compliance. Firefighter Il training and related job-readiness coursework are being funded through an active federal AFG award (EMW-2023-FG-02826), which includes allocations supporting staff fitness and ability to perform operational responsibilities, including advancement toward NFPA 1001 Firefighter I certification.
Training is conducted through instructor-led courses evaluated against national standards. The department anticipates achieving full NFPA 1001 Firefighter I compliance within the current period of performance of that award. This application does not request training funds and addresses a separate and distinct safety need at Station 2.
How many members in your
department are trained to the
level of EMR or EMT, Advanced
EMT or Paramedic?
43 Does your department have a Community Paramedic program? • Yes
) No
How many stations are operated
by your department?
3 Does your organization protect critical infrastructure of the state? • Yes
• No
Please describe the critical infrastructure protected below.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS protects critical infrastructure whose loss or disruption would have severe consequences at the local, regional, and state level.
Transportation infrastructure represents the most significant and sustained hazard exposure in the jurisdiction. Interstate 10, a primary freight corridor connecting the Los Angeles basin to the southwestern United States, divides Cathedral City and generates daily hazardous materials transporting risk including fuel, industrial chemicals, and compressed gases. A major freight rail line running parallel carries comparable cargo and presents derailment and hazmat spill risk within the urban core. Additional state highway routes connect Cathedral City to San Diego, Las Vegas, and border communities. Palm Springs International Airport lies immediately adjacent to the city's western boundary, with CCFE's southern jurisdiction directly beneath active flight approach paths, requiring continuous aviation emergency response capability.
Utility and environmental infrastructure includes high-pressure natural gas transmission lines supplying multiple western states, a rupture would present mass-casualty and regional energy consequences. High- voltage electrical transmission lines supplying Cathedral City and neighboring jurisdictions traverse the response area. The Whitewater River Sub-basin, one of the Coachella Valley's most critical groundwater resources, sits beneath much of the city's southern boundary. A flood control dam, a solid waste transfer station, and regulated cannabis production facilities present ongoing hazardous materials and chemical storage risk.
Healthcare facilities including clinics and large resort and casino properties accommodating thousands of guests daily represent high-consequence, high-occupancy safety targets. Three major bridges supporting regional commerce, and a dense concentration of hospitality and commercial occupancies serving a permanent population of 52,375 plus approximately 17,000 seasonal residents define a response environment of exceptional complexity.
Educational infrastructure includes two high schools, two middle schools, five elementary schools, and a vocational trade school representing concentrated life-safety responsibility for vulnerable populations.
Senior care facilities serving an aging desert population complete a critical infrastructure profile among the most operationally demanding of any comparably sized city in California.
Do you currently report to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (FIRS)? You will be required to report to FIRS for the entire period of the grant.
() Yes
• No
Please enter your FDIN/FID.
33018
Do you offer live fire training?
O Yes
No
Operating budget
What is your organization's operating budget (e.g., personnel, maintenance of apparatus, equipment, facilities, utility costs, purchasing expendable items, etc.) dedicated to expenditures for day-to-day activities for the current (at time of application) fiscal year, as well as the previous two fiscal years? Current Fiscal Year
2025
Fiscal Year Operating budget
2025
$15,263,701.73
2024 $14,446,685.74
2023 $15,240,412.98
What percentage of the declared
operating budget is dedicated to
personnel costs (salary,
benefits, overtime costs, etc.)?
85 %
Does your department have any rainy day reserves, emergency funds, or capital outlay? O Yes
• No
What percentage of the declared operating 2025 2024 2023 budget is derived from the following
Taxes 82.35 %
74.74% 81.27%
Bond issues 0% 0% 0%
EMS billing 17.03% 24.79% 18.22%
Grants 0% 0%
0 %
What percentage of the declared operating 2025 2024 2023 budget is derived from the following
Donations 0 % 0% 0%
Fund drives 0 % 0 %
0%
Fee for service 0.47% 0.51%
0.62%
Other 0%
0% 0%
Totals 100% 100% 100%
Describe your financial need and how consistent it is with the intent of the AFG Program. Include details describing your organization's financial distress such as summarizing budget constraints, unsuccessful attempts to secure other funding, and proving the financial distress is out of your control.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS (CCFE) is funded through two primary revenue sources: local taxes (82.35%) and EMS billing revenue (17.03%), with a small fee-for-service remainder (0.62%). There are no grants, donations, bond issues, fund drives, or supplemental revenue sources contributing to the operating budget.
Cathedral City is an EPA IRA designated disadvantaged community with a median household income of $67,031 and a poverty rate of 18.8%, compared to California averages of $95,521 and 12.3% respectively, reflecting the limited tax base from which all municipal services must be funded.
CCFE's FY 2025 operating budget is $15,263,701.73. Of this total, 85% - approximately $12,974,147 is consumed entirely by fixed, non-negotiable personnel costs including salaries, benefits, and retirement obligations. Approximately 10% - $1,526,370 funds essential operations including fuel, fleet maintenance, apparatus repair, and facilities upkeep. The remaining 5% - approximately $763, 185 supports training, community outreach, and all other departmental needs. Every dollar of the operating budget is fully committed to sustaining daily emergency operations. The department carries no reserves, no rainy day funds, and no capital outlay. There are no surplus and no internal mechanism at the department level to redirect funds toward a capital facility improvement of this nature.
Cathedral City's financial position reflects a decade of compounding external pressures. Prior to 2020, declining revenues created a structural deficit requiring the city to draw from general fund reserves. The COVID-19 pandemic eliminated hospitality and travel revenue at precisely the moment recovery had begun, forcing citywide staffing reductions, elimination of employee concessions, and across-the-board operating budget cuts that directly reduced CCFE's capacity. Recovery from these losses was then interrupted by Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023, which inflicted over $25 million in damage to city infrastructure, resetting the city's financial recovery timeline and generating urgent, ongoing repair and mitigation obligations that continue to compete for every available dollar. The city remains in active recovery from both events simultaneously.
In 2025, Cathedral City voters approved a half-cent sales tax increase. However, the city's current biennial budget designates these capital improvement funds exclusively for roadway and right-of-way projects, obligations that are a direct consequence of storm damage and deferred infrastructure maintenance. Fire station facility improvements are not identified in the capital improvement plan. This is not a matter of reprioritization, no funding pathway exists at the city or department level for this project.
CCFE has actively pursued outside funding for facility and operational needs. A current AFG award (EMW- 2023-FG-02826) is restricted by grant conditions to specific wellness and fitness activities and cannot be redirected toward facility improvements. It represents no available funding pathway for this project. Previous applications for facility infrastructure have not resulted in awards. No local, state, or other federal funding sources are available or identified for fire station sprinkler system installation. Without AFG assistance, this life-safety deficiency at Station 2 cannot be corrected.
In cases of demonstrated economic hardship, and upon the request of the grant applicant, the FEMA Administrator may grant an Economic Hardship Waiver. Is it your organization's intent to apply for an Economic Hardship Waiver?
• Yes
No
Other funding sources
This fiscal year, are you receiving Federal funding from any other grant program for the same purpose for which you are applying for this grant?
• Yes
) No
This fiscal year, are you receiving Federal funding from any other grant program regardless of purpose?
Yes
• No
Please provide an explanation for other funding sources in the space provided below.
CFE holds one active federal award: AFG EMW-2023-FG-02826, restricted by grant conditions to wellness and fitness activities. It cannot be redirected toward facility modifications or sprinkler installation. A recently completed HMGP award (DR-4683- 986-13P) for Local Hazard Mitigation Planning was closed in April 2026 and represents no available funding for this request. No federal, state, local, or private funding exists for this project. This request is not duplicative of any existing award.
Applicant and community trends
Please provide the following additional information about the applicant.
Injuries and fatalities 2025 2024 2023
What is the total number of fire-related civilian fatalities in your 0 3 5
jurisdiction over the last three calendar years?
Injuries and fatalities 2025 2024 2023
What is the total number of fire-related civilian injuries in your 8 8 0
jurisdiction over the last three calendar years?
What is the total number of line of duty member fatalities in your 0 0 0
jurisdiction over the last three calendar years?
What is the total number of line of duty member injuries in your 144 106 3 jurisdiction over the last three calendar years?
What is the total number of members with self-inflicted fatalities 0 0 0
over the last three years?
How many vehicles does your organization have in each of the type or class of vehicle listed below? You must include vehicles that are leased or on long-term loan as well as any vehicles that have been ordered or otherwise currently under contract for purchase or lease by your organization but not yet in your possession.
Seated riding positions
The number of seated riding positions must be equal or greater than the total number of frontline and reserve apparatus. If there are zero frontline and zero reserve apparatus, the number of seated riding positions must be zero.
Number of
Number of Number of
frontline seated
Type or class of vehicles reserve
riding
apparatus apparatus positions
Engines or pumpers (pumping capacity of 750 gallons per minute 4 28 3 (GPM) or greater and water capacity of 300 gallons or more):
pumper, pumper/tanker, rescue/pumper, foam pumper, CAFS pumper, type I, type Il engine urban interface
Ambulances for transport and/or emergency response
4 3 14
Tankers or tenders (water capacity of 1,000 gallons or more) 1 0 3
Aerial apparatus: aerial ladder truck, telescoping, articulating, 0 3
ladder towers, platform, tiller ladder truck, quint
Number of
Number of Number of seated
Type or class of vehicles frontline reserve
apparatus apparatus riding
positions
Brush/quick attack (pumping capacity of less than 750 GPM and 0 0
water carrying capacity of at least 300 gallons): brush truck, patrol unit (pickup w/ skid unit), quick attack unit, mini-pumper, type IlI engine, type IV engine, type V engine, type VI engine, type VII engine
Rescue vehicles: rescue squad, rescue (light, medium, heavy), 0 0 0 technical rescue vehicle, hazardous materials unit
Additional vehicles: EMS chase vehicle, air/light unit, rehab units, 0 0 0
bomb unit, technical support (command, operational
support/supply), hose tender, salvage truck, ARFF (aircraft rescue firefighting), command/mobile communications vehicle
How many ALS Response
vehicles are in your fleet?
7 Is your department facing a new risk, expanding service to a new area, or experiencing an increased call volume?
• Yes
• No
Please explain how your department is facing a new risk, expanding service to a new area, or experiencing an increased call volume.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS is experiencing sustained increases in call volume driven by ongoing community growth, new high-occupancy developments, and an expanding permanent and seasonal population. Total incidents responded to increased from 7,268 in 2023 to 7,842 in 2024 to 8,075 in 2025, representing an 11% increase over two years. EMS responses grew from 5,624 in 2023 to 6,278 in 2025.
Mutual and automatic aid responses increased from 181 in 2023 to 220 in 2025.
New residential developments including senior communities, affordable housing complexes, and veteran- specific housing have added high-acuity populations with elevated service demands. New large-scale commercial and entertainment venues including a casino and a large event amphitheater regularly concentrate significant occupant loads within the jurisdiction, creating an elevated and ongoing mass- casualty and fire risk that did not previously exist. Cathedral City's annual influx of approximately 17,000 seasonal residents further amplifies demand during peak winter months.
These combined factors represent both a measurable increase in call volume and a qualitative expansion of the risk profile CCFE is required to manage, placing increasing operational demands on all three stations and the personnel assigned to them on a continuous basis.
Community description
Please provide the following additional information about the community your organization serves.
Type of jurisdiction served
City
What type of community does your organization serve?
Urban
What is the square mileage of
your first due response
zone/jurisdiction served?
23 What percentage of your
primary response area is
protected by hydrants?
75 Percentage
What percentage of your primary response area is for the following: (must sum to 100%)
Agriculture, wildland, open space, or undeveloped properties 35 Commercial and industrial purposes
10 Residential purposes
55 Total 100
What is the permanent resident
population of your first due
response zone/jurisdiction
served?
52375
Do you have a seasonal increase in population?
Yes
No
What is your seasonal increase
in population (number of
people?
17000
Please describe your organization and/or community that you serve.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS (CCFE) serves Cathedral City, California, the second-largest city in the Coachella Valley, located in eastern Riverside County approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles. The city covers 23 square miles at an elevation of 325 feet in the Sonoran Desert, where temperatures regularly exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The permanent population of 52,375 increases by approximately 17,000 seasonal residents each winter, bringing the protected population close to 70,000 during peak months. The community is an EPA IRA designated disadvantaged community, with a median household income of $67,031 and a poverty rate of 18.8%, significantly below California averages of $95,521 and 12.3% respectively. The Council on Environmental Quality reports the community's wildfire risk at up to the 97th percentile statewide.
Cathedral City's resort and hospitality corridor, concentrated commercial districts, and high-density residential neighborhoods create a complex, high-consequence fire risk environment. The I-10 freeway divides the jurisdiction, generating significant vehicle accidents and hazardous materials incident exposure.
Palm Springs International Airport, immediately adjacent to the city's western boundary, adds aviation- related response requirements to the department's mission requirements.
CCFE is an all-career department operating three strategically located stations. The department staffs 43 firefighters providing 24/7 fire suppression, advanced life support EMS, technical rescue, and hazardous materials response. The fleet includes engine companies at Stations 2 and 3, a 75-foot aerial truck company at Station 1, and four ALS ambulances staffed 24/7, supported by three reserve ambulances available for surge and coverage needs. CCFE fulfills mutual and automatic aid obligations to Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and unincorporated Riverside County areas.
CCFE has earned CPSE International Accreditation - one of only 312 fire departments worldwide, one of 16 in California, and the only accredited department in the Coachella Valley - independently validating that the department has implemented fire service best practices. The department was also recently reclassified to ISO Class 2, reflecting its commitment to excellence in fire protection.
Call volume has grown from 7,268 incidents in 2023 to 8,075 in 2025, an increase of nearly 11% in two years, with EMS calls comprising approximately 78% of all responses. Line-of-duty injuries have risen sharply, unfortunately, from 3 in 2023 to 106 in 2024 to 144 in 2025, underscoring the urgent need to address firefighter safety at every level, this includes the facilities where they live and work.
Station 2 is a 39-year-old, full-time 24/7 occupied facility with sleeping quarters housing career firefighters and critical apparatus around the clock. Station 2 is also the location for administrative offices that house all vital administrative records. The combined structure currently has no fire sprinkler system, representing a direct and unacceptable life-safety gap for the personnel assigned there and the irreplaceable community resources housed within.
Call volume
Please provide the total number of incidents that your organization responded to for each year of the previous three year period (Jan - Dec). Include only those alarms which your organization was a primary responder and not second due or giving Mutual Aid.
Note: Each incident must be counted only once regardless of the number of units or agencies that responded to that incident (e.g. a vehicle fire with entrapment and injuries may be counted as a vehicle fire or a rescue call or an EMS call, but not all three.
Summary
Summary of responses per year by category. Enter whole numbers only. If you have no calls for any of the categories, enter 0.
Summary of responses per year per category 2025 2024 2023 NFIRS Series 100: Fire
178 191 166
NFIRS Series 200: Overpressure Rupture, Explosion, Overheat 2 3
(No Fire)
NFIRS Series 300: Rescue & Emergency Medical Service Incident 627€ 621€ 5624 NFIRS Series 400: Hazardous Condition (No Fire) 61
75 48
NFIRS Series 500: Service Call 737 644 712
NIRS Series 600: Good Intent Call 513
457 483
NFIRS Series 700: False Alarm & False Call 291 267 233
NFIRS Series 800: Severe Weather & Natural Disaster
1 1 2
NFIRS Series 900: Special Incident Type
0 0 0
Total 8075 7842 7268
Fire
How many responses per year by category? Enter whole numbers only. If you have no calls for any of the categories, enter 0.
How many responses per year per category? 2025 2024 2023 Of the FIRS Series 100 calls, how many are "Structure Fire" 52 54 57 (NFIRS Codes 111-123)?
Of the FIRS Series 100 calls, how many are "Vehicle Fire" 29 34 24
(NFIRS Codes 130-138)?
Of the FIRS Series 100 calls, how many are "Vegetation Fire" 38 41 34
(NFIRS Codes 140-143)?
Total 119 129 115
What is the total acreage of all vegetation fires? Enter whole numbers only. If you have no vegetation fires, enter
0. Total acreage per year 2025 2024 2023
What is the total acreage of all vegetation fires?
36 39 32
Rescue and emergency medical service incidents
How many responses per year by category? Enter whole numbers only. If you have no calls for any of the categories, enter O.
How many responses per year per category? 2025 2024 2023 Of the NFIRS Series 300 calls, how many are "Motor Vehicle 353 373 324
Accidents" (NFIRS Codes 322-324)?
Of the NFIRS Series 300 calls, how many are "Extrications from 0 0 0
Vehicles" (NFIRS Code 352)?
Of the NFIRS Series 300 calls, how many are "Rescues" (NFIRS 2 2 14
Codes 300, 351, 353-381)?
How many EMS-BLS Response Calls? 0
0 0
How many responses per year per category? 2025 2024 2023 How many EMS-ALS Response Calls? 592: 5843 5284
How many EMS-BLS Scheduled Transports?
0 0 0
How many EMS-ALS Scheduled Transports?
0 0 0
How many Community Paramedic Response Calls?
0 0 0
Total 6278 6218 5622
Mutual and automatic aid
How many responses per year by category? Enter whole numbers only. If you have no calls for any of the categories, enter O.
How many responses per year per category? 2025 2024 2023 How many times did your organization receive Mutual Aid? 91 117 41 How many times did your organization receive Automatic Aid? 17 24 19 How many times did your organization provide Mutual Aid? 82 86 93 How many times did your organization provide Automatic Aid? 5 8 2
Of the Mutual and Automatic Aid responses, how many were 22 16 23 structure fires?
Total 220 245 181
Grant request details
Are you requesting a Micro Grant? A Micro Grant is limited to $75,000 in federal resources.
O Yes
No
Instructions
If you intend to request funds for an activity, you must answer all of the activity specific questions and specify at least one budget item budget object class information. The cost figures you provide do not have to be firm quotes from your vendors, but they should be estimated based on research of current prices (i.e., check with at least two vendors for your estimates). If you do not have these estimates, you can come back and modify this area at any point before you submit your application to DHS. The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program does not allow for any grant funds to be used for construction. Select grant writer fee when adding an activity if there is a grant- writing fee associated with the preparation of the request Help Guides
FEMA has developed a Narrative Development Toolkit and Self Evaluation Sheets available on FEMA website: https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/firefighters/assistance- grants/documents. The documents are designed to assist applicants with narrative preparation and provide specific criteria used by a panel of peer reviewers when evaluating each application. FEMA encourages applicants to use these documents to prepare their applications.
Add activity
Grand total: $100,000.00
Program area: Operations and safety
-
Activity: Modify facilities $100,000.00
* Delete this activity.
Modify facilities activity narrative
Please add the projects and items in your application for modify facilities.
For each project and item you want funded, provide the requested information. Note: the unit price amount should reflect any volume discounts, rebates, etc. The option to select additional funding is available when adding items to support your request.
When requesting one or more projects for one station (e.g. sprinklers & exhaust system) the total request cannot exceed $100,000 per station. All projects must be entered as separate line-items regardless if the projects are in the same station.
Documentation may be required regarding the nature of the facility, flood plains, etc. prior to being considered for award. Modifications are changes within the existing structure. The original footprint/profile of the facility should remain essentially unchanged. Funding may not be used to change the existing exterior footprint/profile of the building or add additional stories to the building.
Narrative
The narrative statements must provide all the information necessary for you to justify your needs and for FEMA to make an award decision. A panel of peer reviewers will perform the second phase of the applications' evaluations by using the narrative statements below to determine the worthiness of the request for an award. Please ensure that your narrative clearly addresses each of the following evaluation criteria elements to the best of your ability with detailed but concise information.
You may either type your narrative statements in the spaces provided below or create the text in your word processing system and then copy it into the appropriate spaces provided below. Please note the narrative block does not allow for formatting but you can expand the size of the narrative block. Do not type your narrative using only capital letters.
Additionally, do not include tables, special fonts (i.e., quote marks, bullets, etc.), or graphs.
Project Description and Budget: Clearly explain the
organization's project objectives and the relationship to your organization's budget (e.g., personnel, equipment, contracts, etc.) and risk analysis by providing statistics to justify the needs.
Describe the various activities to be implemented, including program priorities or facility modifications, to include details on how these are consistent with project objectives, your organization's mission and national, state, and/or local requirements. Provide details that link the proposed expenses to operations and safety, as well as to the completion of the project's goals.
Cathedral City Fire and EMS (CCFE) requests AFG funding to install a new wet-pipe fire sprinkler system at Station 2, located at 32100 Desert Vista Road, Cathedral City, California. Station 2 is a full-time, 24/7 occupied facility with sleeping quarters that houses engine company and medic unit personnel and serves as a primary response station for the central portion of the city. The station was constructed approximately 39 years ago and has never been equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system. The absence of a sprinkler system at a continuously occupied fire station represents a direct and ongoing life safety deficiency. Firefighters who work, eat, train, and sleep at this facility are exposed to a fire risk that would be unacceptable in any comparable occupancy and is inconsistent with the safety standards CCFE holds its personnel to in the field.
CCFE conducted a facility risk assessment that identified the lack of sprinkler protection as the highest-priority unaddressed life safety gap across the department's three stations. A new installation is designated as high priority under the AFG NOFO for Modification to Facilities. The project directly aligns with the AFG program objective of protecting the health and safety of first responder personnel.
The proposed system will cover approximately 9,600 square feet of interior building space. Design and installation costs are estimated at 7.00 per square foot for interior wet-pipe coverage, totaling approximately 67,200 dollars. The project also requires associated underground infrastructure that is mandatory for system functionality and regulatory compliance, including a Fire Department Connection, a Post Indicator Valve, underground check valves, and a double detector check valve required by the local water district. All hard costs, underground components, labor, permits, and contractor overhead are estimated at a total of 100,000 dollars. Pricing was developed based on contractor solicitations in the Southern California market and reflects current regional costs for this scope of work. CCFE will cost-share 9,090.91 dollars (9.09 percent) of the total project cost, with 90,909.09 dollars requested from AFG federal resources.
Project implementation will be managed by Fire Chief Michael Contreras with administrative oversight by the City of Cathedral City.
Upon award, CCFE will initiate a formal competitive bid process within 60 days, award a contract within 120 days, commence installation within 180 days, and achieve system commissioning and final inspection within 18 months of award. In the event of contractor delay or vendor non-performance, CCFE has identified qualified backup contractors in the region and will engage the city finance office to expedite re-solicitation. Without AFG funding, budget constraints and competing infrastructure recovery costs stemming from Tropical Storm Hilary damage citywide make self-funding this project not feasible within any near-term planning horizon. Failure to receive this award leaves Station 2 personnel without sprinkler protection indefinitely.
Cost Benefit: Describe how you plan to address the operations and personal safety needs of your organization, including cost effectiveness and sharing assets. The Operations and Safety Cost Benefit statement should also include details about gaining the maximum benefits from grant funding by citing reasonable or required costs, such as specific overhead and administrative costs.
The request should also be consistent with your organization's mission and identify how funding will benefit your organization and affected personnel.
The installation of a new fire sprinkler system at Station 2 delivers measurable, lasting benefits to CCFE personnel, the department, mutual aid partners, and the 52,375 permanent residents of Cathedral City at a cost that is highly defensible by any standard measure.
The primary benefit is the protection of life safety for firefighters who occupy Station 2 continuously, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Firefighters at this station work shifts of 24 to 48 hours, sleep on-site, and conduct daily training and equipment maintenance in a facility that has never had automatic sprinkler protection in its 39- year history. A fire originating in any part of this station during off- hours or during a high-call-volume period when personnel are fully deployed could result in catastrophic loss of life, injury, destruction of apparatus, and extended disruption of emergency services to the community. Automatic sprinkler systems are the single most effective built-in fire suppression technology available and are documented by the National Fire Protection Association to reduce civilian and firefighter deaths in structure fires by more than 80 percent when compared to unprotected structures.
The financial case for this investment is equally compelling. The total project cost of 100,000 dollars, when distributed across a conservatively estimated 25-year service life of the installed system, amounts to 4,000 dollars per year. Divided across the permanent service population of 52,375 residents, the cost equals approximately
0.08 dollars per resident per year. When the seasonal population increase of 17,000 residents is factored in, the per-capita cost decreases further. This represents an extraordinary return on a federal investment that would be impossible to replicate through any other funding mechanism available to CCFE.
The department manages its grant in-house, eliminating
administrative overhead costs. Costs were derived through competitive solicitation in the Southern California market, ensuring pricing reflects current regional standards rather than inflated single- bid estimates. The city finance process requires formal competitive bidding, which will further control costs at award.
Beyond CCFE, mutual aid partners including Palm Springs Fire, Rancho Mirage Fire, and Riverside County Fire depend on Station 2 personnel for automatic and mutual aid responses. In 2025 alone, CCFE provided 82 mutual aid responses. Loss of Station 2 capacity due to a facility fire would directly degrade regional response capability across the Coachella Valley. Protection of this station would be a regional benefit, not solely a local one. Without this award, Station 2 will remain unprotected, and CCFE will have no viable path to fund this project through its operating budget.
Statement of Effect on Operations: Explain how this funding request will enhance the organization's overall effectiveness.
Describe how the grant award will improve daily operations and reduce the organization's risk(s) including how frequently the requested items) will be used and in what capacity. Indicate how the requested items) will help the community and increase the organization's ability to save additional lives and property.
Jurisdictions that demonstrate their commitment and proactive posture to reducing fire risk, by explaining their code enforcement (to include Wildland Urban Interface code enforcement) and mitigation strategies (including whether or not the jurisdiction has a FEMA-approved mitigation strategy) may receive stronger consideration under this criterion.
The installation of a fire sprinkler system at Station 2 will have an immediate, permanent, and direct effect on the daily safety of CCFE personnel and the operational continuity of the department as a whole. The effect of this project is not measured in occasional use; it is measured in constant protection. From the moment the system is operational, every firefighter who sleeps, trains, eats, or works at Station 2 will benefit from automatic fire suppression protection that does not currently exist.
Station 2 is a primary response for the central portion of Cathedral City, housing engine company personnel who respond to more than 8,000 incidents annually across the jurisdiction. The station operates continuously with personnel on duty around the clock. A fire event at this facility during off-hours, during peak call volume when crews are fully deployed, or during a major regional incident when mutual aid resources are unavailable could result in total loss of the station, destruction of front-line apparatus, serious injury or death of on-duty and staff personnel, and immediate collapse of emergency response capacity for the central area of the city. No contingency plan fully replaces a fully staffed and equipped primary response station. The sprinkler system directly mitigates this catastrophic risk.
The operational effects extend beyond the station itself. Station 2 personnel provide automatic and mutual aid to Palm Springs, Rancho Mirage, and unincorporated areas of Riverside County. Loss of this station due to an uncontrolled fire would degrade response capability across a regional network that depends on CCE as an active mutual aid partner. The sprinkler system protects not only local operations but the broader regional emergency response system.
Personnel morale and retention are also meaningfully affected.
Firefighters are trained to assess and mitigate risk, and they are acutely aware when the facility they sleep, is unprotected. Correcting this deficiency signals an institutional commitment to the safety of the workforce and reinforces CCFE's ability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in a competitive labor market.
If this award is not received, Station 2 will remain without sprinkler protection for the foreseeable future. CCFE has no identified alternative funding path. The department's operating budget is 85 percent dedicated to personnel costs, and citywide financial recovery from Tropical Storm Hilary damage continues to consume available capital resources. The consequence of inaction is continued and unacceptable exposure of first responders to a preventable life safety risk every day they report for duty
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Project
Project: Facility $100,000.00
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Facility project questions
Facility identification (e.g. Station #1 Southside
Station)
Station #2
Does this facility have a fire alarm system?
O Yes
• No
Does this facility have a fire sprinkler system?
• Yes
(.) No
Does this facility have a diesel/smoke removal
system?
•Yes
• No
When was the last major renovation to this facility?
Please enter date built if no renovations have
occurred. (eg: mm/dd/yyyy)
09/01/1987
Additional Information: Optional
Station 2 was constructed in September 1987 and
has never undergone major renovation. The facility
has a basic smoke detector system and no fire
sprinkler system. The existing diesel and smoke
capture system (Plymovent) is the only life safety
system currently installed. The station has
sleeping quarters and is continuously occupied 24
hours a day, 7 days a week by on-duty engine and
medic unit personnel. No fire detection or
automatic suppression protection exists within this
facility. This first-time sprinkler installation
addresses the highest-priority life safety deficiency
at this station and is consistent with an AFG high-
priority designation for new sprinkler system
installations in continuously occupied stations with
sleeping quarters.
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Cost Items
Item: Sprinkler $100,000.00
Systems)
* Delete this item
Item
Sprinkler Systems)
Description
First-time installation of a wet-pipe automatic fire
sprinkler system at Station 2, a continuously
occupied 24/7 facility with sleeping quarters
constructed in September 1987 with no existing
sprinkler or fire alarm protection. The system will
cover approximately 9,600 square feet of interior
building space at an estimated installation rate of
7.00 per square foot. Associated underground
infrastructure required for system functionality and
regulatory compliance includes a Fire Department
Connection, Post Indicator Valve, underground
check valves, and a double detector check valve
as required by the local water district. All costs
including design, interior wet-pipe system
installation, underground components, labor,
permits, and contractor overhead are included in
the total estimated cost of 100,000 dollars. Pricing
is based on competitive licensed contractor
solicitation in the Southern California regional
market. CCFE will contribute 9,090.91 dollars as
the required cost share. This installation
represents the first and only automatic fire
suppression system at this facility and directly
addresses the highest-priority life safety deficiency
identified in CCFE's facility risk assessment.
Quantity Unit price Total
1 $100,0
$100,000.00
Budget class
Contractual
What is the square footage of the area that your
modification will directly affect?
9600
Does the facility you wish to modify have a drive
through bay?
() Yes
O No
What is the age of the facility that is being
modified?
39 What type of facility will be modified?
Station(s) with sleeping quarters (to include marinev
What is the level of occupancy for the facility you
wish to modify? Note: The occupancy is defined by
the number of hours the facility is used within a
single 24 hour time period.
() Full-Time (24/7)
• Part-Time (Daily, but not 24/7)
• Occasional
Grant request summary
The table below summarizes the number of items and total cost within each activity you have requested funding for. This table will update as you change the items within your grant request details.
Grant request summary
Activity Number of items Total cost
Modify facilities 1 $100,000.00
Total 1 $100,000.00
Is your proposed project limited to one or more of the following activities : Planning and development of policies or processes. Management, administrative, or personnel actions. Classroom-based training. Acquisition of mobile and portable equipment (not involving installation) on or in a building.
Yes
O No
Budget summary
Budget summary
Object class categories Total
Personnel $0.00
Fringe benefits $0.00
Travel $0.00
Equipment $0.00
Supplies $0.00
Contractual $100,000.00
Construction $0.00
Other $0.00
Total direct charges $100,000.00
Indirect charges $0.00
TOTAL $100,000.00
Non-federal resources
Applicant $9,090.91
State $0.00
Object class categories Total
Local
$0.00
Other sources
$0.00
Remarks
The applicant cost
share of 9,090.91
dollars (9.09
percent) represents
Cathedral City Fire
and EMS's
committed local
match and will be
funded through the
City of Cathedral
City's operating
budget. Despite
significant financial
constraints resulting
from COVID-19
revenue losses and
Tropical Storm
Hilary infrastructure
recovery costs,
CCFE is committed
to fulfilling its cost
share obligation in
full. No economic
hardship waiver is
requested for this
application.
Total Federal and Non-federal resources
Federal resources $90,909.09
Non-federal resources $9,090.91
TOTAL $100,000.00
Object class categories Total
Program income
$0
Contact information
Did any individual or organization assist with the development, preparation, or review of the application to include drafting or writing the narrative and budget, whether that person, entity, or agent is compensated or not and whether the assistance took place prior to submitting the application? • Yes
No
Secondary point of contact
Please provide a secondary point of contact for this grant.
The Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) who submits the application will be identified as the primary point of contact for the grant. Please provide one secondary point of contact for this grant below. The secondary contact can be members of the fire department or organizations applying for the grant that will see the grant through completion, are familiar with the grant application, and have the authority to make decisions on and to act upon this grant application. The secondary point of contact can also be an individual who assisted with the development, preparation, or review of the application.
Michael Contreras Primary phone Additional phones / Edit Fire Chief 7607708200 ext 201 7607708200 ext 218
Work Work
Fax
7603283902
mcontreras@cathedralcit
Assurances and certifications
SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities
OMB number: 4040-0013, Expiration date: 02/28/2025 View burden statement Complete only if the applicant is required to do so by 44 C.F.R. part 18. Generally disclosure is required when applying for a grant of more than $100,000 and if any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form-LLL, "Disclosure Form to Report Lobbying," in accordance with its instructions.
Further, the recipient shall file a disclosure form at the end of each calendar quarter in which there occurs any event described in 44 C.F.R. A§ 18.110(c) that requires disclosure or that materially affects the accuracy of the information contained in any disclosure form previously filed by the applicant. • The applicant is not currently required to submit the SF-LLL Review application Submit for signature
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