Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: MARCH 21, 2023
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: ADAM LOESER, FIRE CHIEF
PREPARED BY: ADAM LOESER, FIRE CHIEF
KRISTI HOFSTETTER BATISTE, EMERGENCY MANAGER
SUBJECT: 2021 FISCAL YEAR ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT
SUMMARY
Accept and appropriate $93,694.20 in grant funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to replace the Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus Air Compressor / Cascade / Fill Station and Hydraulic Rescue Tool Kit.
RECOMMENDATION
Ratify grant application with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
Accept and appropriate receipt and uses of $93,694.20 grant award in Grants Fund (Fund 32).
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute and administer agreement and sign all documents related to the grant.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
The City Manager concurs with the Fire Chief’s recommendation.
POLICY PRIORITY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statements:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability.
Public Safety.
FISCAL IMPACT
The FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget does not include the $93,694.20 AFG Grant. Staff recommends including an appropriation for the grant award in the Grants Fund (Fund 32). The Fullerton Fire Department budget has sufficient funds to match $9,369.43, for a total $103,091.63, for purchase and replacement Compressor / Cascade / Fill Station and Hydraulic Rescue Tool Kit.
DISCUSSION
The Fullerton Fire Department will replace its antiquated Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Air Compressor / Fill Station / Cascade System with a new federally compliant system for filling SCBA bottles. An Air Compressor / Cascade / Fill Station fills the SCBA bottles which Firefighters wear to breathe clean air when making entry into a structure fire or any other environment that may contain a hazardous atmosphere Firefighting comes with inherent health risks, including exposure to smoke and other contaminants that can cause serious injury and even death. Having a dependable refilling system that meets current OSHA standards ensures that Firefighters can depend on their safety equipment at the most critical moments. The current SCBA bottle refilling system has exceeded its service life, is unreliable and unsafe to operate. The SCBA system is a high priority item under the modifications to Utilities Section.
The Department utilizes hydraulic rescue tools, also known as the Jaws of Life, to extricate trapped patients from severely damaged vehicles involved in a traffic accident. This updated piece of required equipment will enhance the personnel safety and improve effectiveness of fire department operations as they work to protect life, property and the environment in the City of Fullerton.
The Fire Department will also replace its gasoline powered, Hydraulic Rescue Tool Kit with a new battery-operated Hydraulic Rescue Tool Kit which includes a cutter, spreader and ram. The current kit is unreliable due to frequent repairs, parts availability and has exceeded its service life. Replacing this safety equipment would increase interoperability with neighboring jurisdictions and would enable Firefighters to reduce injury and death to community members by extricating them quickly from trapped vehicles along busy streets and the I-5, 57 and 91 freeways as well as along the railroads utilized by Amtrak and BNSF. A battery-powered kit would bring the Department into compliance with National Fire Protection Standards (NFPA) which aligns with the high priorities of the Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
The City submitted this grant application prior to its due date and received the award effective February 6, 2023. The City completed and approved an environmental health report on February 3, 2023. FEMA requires the environmental health report to modify structures. The amount for the SCBA Air Compressor / Fill Station / Cascade System totals $95,740.01. The amount of the battery-powered Hydraulic Rescue Tool Kit totals $64,463.72. The grant award equals $93,694.20 and the Fire Department will commit $9,396.43. The Fire Department operating budget can absorb the difference of $57,113.10 between the cost of the SBA system and tool kit ($160,203.74 = $95,740.01 + $64,463.72) and the grant amount ($103,090.63 = $93,694.20 + $9,396.43).
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Obligating Document
Attachment 2 – Award Letter
Attachment 3 – Summary Award Memo
2021 Fiscal Year Assistance to Firefighters Grant
March 21, 2023 - Page 2