City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 25, 2022 FROM: FIRE DEPARTMENT WARDS: ALL
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF THE 2022 NATIONAL URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE RESPONSE SYSTEM READINESS COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,346,150 FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY - SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION ISSUE:
Approve the acceptance of the 2022 Urban Search and Rescue Response System Readiness Cooperative Agreement in the amount of $1,346,150 from the Department of Homeland Security – FEMA.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Accept the grant amount awarded from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for the 2022 National Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Response System Readiness Cooperative Agreement in the amount of $1,346,150, or in the amount of the grant award; With five affirmative votes and upon receipt of the grant award, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or his designee, to record an increase in revenue in the amount of $1,346,150, or in the amount of the grant award, to the Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, 2022 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Program and appropriate expenditures in the same amount; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Urban Search and Rescue Response System Cooperative Agreement from the Department of Homeland Security – FEMA, USAR 2022 grant documents, including making minor and non-substantive changes and agreement extensions, and any subsequent amendments for additional funding to this Cooperative Agreement from the Department of Homeland Security – FEMA.
BACKGROUND:
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is a “multi-hazard” discipline trained to respond to a variety of natural, technological, and man-made emergencies or disasters. The City of Riverside Fire Department’s USAR team is the sponsoring agency for California Task Force 6 (CA-TF6) which is one of twenty-eight National, and one of eight California USAR Task Force teams. These teams respond as either a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or California Mutual Aid resource during emergencies requiring highly skilled search and rescue personnel. Teams have previously been deployed to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, Hurricane Katrina, Super Storm Sandy, Hurricane Harvey, Irma, Maria, Florence, Michael, Lane most recently Hurricane Fiona.
DISCUSSION:
The Department of Homeland Security – FEMA are accountable to provide support and funding for the maintenance and readiness through the National Urban Search & Rescue Response System Readiness Cooperative Agreement. For Fiscal Year 2022, the award acceptance will be $1,346,150 with a Period of Performance from start date 9/1/2022 and through end date 8/31/2025. These funds will be utilized for training, administration, equipment acquisition and maintenance of existing equipment. In addition, a portion of the grant can be used to fund 1.0 FTE Fire Captain, 1.0 FTE Battalion Chief, 1.0 FTE Inventory Control Specialist and .90 FTE Accounting Technician. Due to overlapping cooperative agreement periods, the National Urban Search & Rescue Response System Readiness Cooperative Agreements can fund the salaries and benefits of the positions for the entire Fiscal Year of 2022/2023.
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 DHS/FEMA National USAR Program is an established gold standard for emergency preparedness which has helped produce over two decades worth of highly qualified technical rescue fire fighters within the City of Riverside Fire Department increasing community trust in emergency response efforts.
Equity – Task forces funded by the USAR Program bring a diverse group of professional services to all residents of Riverside and the surrounding communities including emergency room physicians, structural engineers, canine handlers, geospatial engineers, accounting techs, inventory control specialists and fire fighters.
Fiscal Responsibility – Through the use of the Department of Homeland Security – FEMA Urban Search and Rescue grant funding, the Fire Department subsidizes costs associated with staff training, department administration, and equipment acquisition.
Innovation – The City’s USAR Division Chief is the Western Division Representative for the USAR National Program. This unique position allows for enhanced leadership capability where the Division Chief puts a primary focus on the benefit of the city and its residents by engaging directly with DHS/FEMA USAR branch leadership early and often on local, state, and national program matters.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Equipment recapitalization, fully electronic administrative management/reporting capabilities, new/renewed or revised Memorandums of Understanding with participating agencies and telecommute/virtual trainings have enhanced the program with a wide range of capability, personnel, and equipment which in turn has lessened the overall impact of the Sponsoring Agency.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $1,346,150. No matching funds are required for the USAR grant. Upon Council approval an increase in the amount of the grant award will be made to Grants and Restricted Programs Fund, USAR 2022 revenue account 9176600-331100 and expenditure account 9176600-440110.
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 A. Norton, City Attorney
FY 2022 Urban Search & Rescue ● Page 2