City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: January 27, 2026
Agenda Item: 4.B
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Matthew Hallock, Fire Chief, Fire Department
Subject: Acceptance of FY2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Award Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines;
2. Authorize the City Manager to accept a grant awarded to the City in the amount of $119,056.36 from the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, for the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the Fire Department, and to accept all grant renewals;
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to accept the grant, all grant renewals, and modifications; and
4. Authorize a budget amendment as outlined in the Financial Impacts & Budget Actions section of this report (requires 5 votes).
Summary
The Santa Monica Fire Department (“SMFD”) was awarded the FY2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (“AFG”) by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. SMFD will use the grant funds of $119,056.36, plus the required 10% local match of $11,905.64, to fund cancer screenings to all SMFD personnel for one year. Cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters, given their frequent exposure to toxic fumes and soot, and early detection and treatment are critical to increasing survival rates. Staff recommends acceptance of the FY2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
Discussion
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The AFG program provides financial assistance to eligible fire departments, nonaffiliated emergency medical services organizations, or to 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. Each year, eligible organizations are invited to apply and compete for funding. In 2022, SMFD was awarded the FY 2021 AFG to purchase automated chest compression devices which provide continuous chest compressions necessary for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The health and wellness of the City’s employees are key goals of the City. SMFD’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan identifies Sustained Organization Vitality as a strategic goal, with objectives focused on employee health and wellness, reducing work-related injuries, reducing time-off due to injuries, etc. Cancer is the leading cause of death for firefighters, due to their frequent exposure to toxic fumes and soot. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, cancer caused 66% of career firefighter lineof-duty deaths from 2002 to 2019. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a multi-year study of over 30,000 career firefighters from Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, who were employed between 1950 and 2009. Compared to the general public, firefighters are at greater risk for cancer diagnoses (9% higher) and succumb to cancer-related deaths (14% higher). Another NIOSH study found that firefighters have a 100% increased risk of getting mesothelioma and a 129% increased risk of dying from mesothelioma. They have a 62% higher risk of getting esophageal cancer, with a 39% increased risk of dying. Many retired firefighters die of cancer; in fact, SMFD had a line of duty death due to cancer in 2023.
Early detection of cancer symptoms is critical to receiving early treatment and increasing survival rates. This can mean the difference between life and death. While SMFD sought funding for a two-year pilot program of annual cancer screenings, the AFG award is only enough to cover one year of cancer screenings. The AFG award of $119,056.36, plus the required 10% local match of $11,905.64, for a total of $130,962, will be able to screen 138 SMFD employees.
SMFD will return to Council at a later date to award a contract for a vendor to provide the cancer screenings. The AFG program has a two-year performance period, starting from the date of acceptance – in this case, November 25, 2025 to November 25, 2027. 3 of 4
Applicability of Federal Grant Conditions
On April 18, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security, of which FEMA is a part, revised the standard terms and conditions applicable to grants awarded after that date.
Those revisions included conditions obligating grant recipients to certify that they do not and will operate any programs that advance or promote “DEI, DEIA, or discriminatory equity ideology,” that they will cooperate in federal immigration enforcement, and that they will “comply with the requirements of Presidential Executive Orders related to grants”.
A coalition of states sued FEMA challenging the immigration conditions in particular, in Illinois v. FEMA, 1:25-cv-00206-WES-PAS (D.R.I.). On September 24, 2025, the court vacated and set aside the conditions that would require FEMA grant recipients to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. That order applies nationwide. The City also joined several cities and counties in filing a separate lawsuit challenging the DEI, immigration, and Executive Order conditions in Santa Clara County v. Kristi Noem, 3:25-cv-08330-WHO (N.D. Cal.). On November 21, 2025, the court issued an order enjoining DHS and FEMA from directly or indirectly taking any action to withhold or condition funds to the City based on the DEI and Executive Order conditions.
Due to the court orders in both the Illinois v. FEMA and Santa Clara County v. Noem case, the DEI, immigration, and Executive Order conditions do not apply to this grant.
Environmental Review
The acceptance of federal grant funds is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.” The grant funds would provide for cancer screening, ensuring greater protection of human health for SMPD. Therefore, it can be seen with certainty that the acceptance and use of grant funds would not result in adverse physical impacts on the environment, and as such, exempt from CEQA.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
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Staff seeks authority to accept $119,056.36 from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, for the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant to fund cancer screening in the Fire Department.
Approval of the recommended action requires the following budget amendment.
FY 2025-26 Grant Budget Amendment
Establish Revenue Budget Appropriate Funds
Account Number Amount Account Number Amount
20190001.404210 $119,056.36 20190001.555300 $119,056.36 If modifications or renewals are awarded, budget adjustments will be included in subsequent year budgets, contingent on Council budget approval.
Prepared By: Jonathan Tang, Principal Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council