City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: SEPTEMBER 6, 2022 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ACCEPT A LISTOS CALIFORNIA CERT SUPPORT GRANT AWARD FROM THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN THE AMOUNT OF $15,000 – SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Accept funding from the Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program in the amount of $15,000 from the State of California to provide ASL interpreters and Spanish translation services for disaster preparedness training to the City’s underserved communities.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept grant funding for the Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program in the amount of $15,000 from the State of California; Authorize the Fire Chief, OES Administrator, or designee, to accept the grant award and execute grant assurances and other grant related documents including the ability to make minor non substantive changes; and With at least five affirmative votes, authorize increase in revenue and appropriate expenditures in an amount equal to the grant award, in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Listos CA Cert Support Program revenue and expenditure accounts.
BACKGROUND:
The State of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program provides funding to support projects that help prepare vulnerable and underserved populations including: providing CERT training in languages other than English, providing CERT training to underserved and/or populations that are at high risk for disasters, providing accommodations for training participants that have access or functional needs, such as ESL interpretation, and building capacity to respond to disasters.
The FY 2021 Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program is set against the backdrop of recent years in which the United States faced numerous and unprecedented natural disasters including hurricanes that devastated parts of Texas, Florida, and much of Puerto Rico, as well as massive wildfires across California. CERT provides funding to assist state, local, territorial, and tribal governments in preparing for all hazards.
DISCUSSION:
The Fire Department submitted an application for the maximum grant award of $15,000 in funding and to expand its CERT program to provide ASL interpreters and Spanish translation services to the City’s underserved communities. After the CERT program allocates funds for required items, the remaining grant funding will be used for CERT equipment, participant training, workshops, and instructor training.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority No. 2 Community Well-Being and Goal No. 2.6 – Strengthen community preparedness for emergencies to ensure effective response and recovery.
This item aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – The Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program funds the City’s Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) Program that has educated and empowered individuals over the past decade in growth and resilience to emergency preparedness and increasing community trust in emergency response efforts.
Equity – Funding provided by the Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program help the Fire Department deliver classes to our diverse community including those with access and functional needs.
Fiscal Responsibility – The use of the Listos California CERT Support Grant (LC) Program funding increases the Fire Department’s capability and capacity to put on classes and assist in the costs associated with staff training, CERT program administration, and equipment acquisition.
Innovation – The Riverside Fire Department- Office of Emergency Management CERT Training Program trains people to be self-sufficient following a major disaster when first responders are likely to be over tasked and not readily available to respond to every emergency. CERT Members help to keep themselves, their families, and their communities safe.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Educating individuals and community organizations thru the CERT program develops disaster resilient individuals and increases our community resilience through education on actions they can take now to mitigate disaster later.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact associated with this report is $15,000. The Listos California CERT Support Grant Program is 100% reimbursable for approved projects. Upon Council approval, an increase in revenues and an appropriation of expenditures, in an amount equal to the grant award will be recorded in the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, Listos CA Cert Support Program, revenue account 9346100-334100 and expenditure account 9346100-440210.
Prepared by: LaWayne Hearn, Interim Fire Chief
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Approved by: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
Grant Award Letter
Signature Authority
Grant Assurances
2020 CERT Grant Award ● Page 2