DATE: JUNE 16, 2026
DEPARTMENT: SALINAS FIRE DEPARTMENT
FROM: SAMUEL KLEMEK, FIRE CHIEF
TITLE: AUTHORIZATION TO SUBMIT FY 2025 FIRE PREVENTION AND SAFETY GRANT APPLICATION FOR COMMERCIAL INSPECTION PROGRAM RECOMMENDED MOTION:
A motion to approve a Resolution authorizing the Salinas Fire Department to submit a FY 2025 Fire Prevention and Safety Grant application which has a local match requirement for a Commercial Inspection Program.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
The Fire Department seeks authorization to apply for up to $1,500,000 in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant funding to establish a comprehensive Commercial Inspection Program. The grant would support personnel, training, equipment, and administrative resources needed to increase inspection capacity, improve fire and life-safety code compliance, and strengthen community risk reduction efforts. If awarded, the funding would allow the Department to move beyond primarily state-mandated and permit-related inspections toward a more comprehensive annual commercial inspection program. The FP&S program requires a local cost share of at least five percent of the total grant award.
BACKGROUND:
The FY 2025 Fire Prevention and Safety (FP&S) Grant Program provides funding for community risk reduction and fire prevention activities that improve public and firefighter safety. The Salinas Fire Department is seeking grant funding to establish its Commercial Inspection Program, and address inspection demands across commercial, multifamily residential, educational, healthcare, assembly, industrial, and special-hazard occupancies.
Current Fire Prevention Bureau staffing is limited primarily to state-mandated inspections, such as schools, healthcare, jails, hotels and permitting activities, limiting the Department’s ability to conduct annual commercial inspections. Recent inspections have identified recurring fire and life-safety hazards, including impaired fire protection systems, blocked exits, improper combustible storage, and inadequate emergency planning. The proposed project aims to increase inspection coverage, improve code compliance, reduce repeat violations, and strengthen fire protection system maintenance as identified in the “2023 Salinas Fire Department Master Plan”, “2019 “Salinas Fire Department Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover”, and “The Salinas Plan”.
Grant-funded staffing would expand the Department’s inspection capacity, strengthen follow-up and enforcement efforts, improve data management and reporting, and support the establishment of a sustainable annual inspection program. By increasing proactive fire prevention activities and improving compliance with fire and life-safety codes, the project is expected to reduce community risk, decrease the likelihood and severity of fires, minimize property and economic losses, enhance life safety for residents and businesses, and provide safer conditions for firefighters during emergencies. The grant requires a local cost share of five percent of the total award and, if awarded, would support a one-year project period anticipated to begin in FY26-27.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Not a Project. The City of Salinas has determined that the proposed action is not a project as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (CEQA Guidelines Section 15378).
CALIFORNIA GOVERNMENT CODE §84308 APPLIES:
No.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
This action supports the City Council strategic goals of public safety, fiscal sustainability, and organizational effectiveness by seeking outside funding to maintain and improve emergency response capacity, firefighter safety, community risk reduction, and emergency medical service delivery.
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
The Fire Department will coordinate with the City Manager’s Office, Finance Department, City Attorney’s Office, and Human Resources Department.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
Approval of the resolution authorizes submission of the grant application with a local match requirement. If awarded, staff will return to Council for approval to accept the award, delegate authority to the City Manager to negotiate and execute grant agreements and all documents necessary to effectuate the grant, and request authorization to appropriate the required local match or ongoing personnel costs.
Fund
General Ledger Number
(Operating/CIP)
General Ledger Account Name
Remaining Budget Appropriation
Amount Requested
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
ATTACHMENTS:
• Resolution
• FY 2025 FP&S NOFO
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