City Council
MEETING DATE: 9/13/2017
TITLE:
Title
Acceptance of a Grant Award from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a Staffing of Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant
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FROM:
Paul S. Wilson, Fire Chief
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council Approve a Resolution to accept a Grant Award of $1,393,193 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The award of the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant provides federal funding for three years, consisting of salaries and benefits, to add six firefighter / paramedics to the fire department.
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BACKGROUND:
The City of Cathedral City is one of only two-hundred and forty-six fire departments nationwide and one of only sixteen fire departments in California to be awarded a FEMA SAFER grant in federal fiscal year 2016/17. The grant award provides federal funds to the City of Cathedral City based on a demonstrated need for adequate firefighter staffing.
The grant award pays the six firefighter / paramedic salaries and benefits for three years, on a reimbursement basis. The grant award requires the firefighter / paramedics to be on a fire engine or fire truck no less than fifty percent of the time, which necessitates overtime for staffing.
The grant award requires the City to maintain 40 firefighter positions on-shift (34 existing and 6 new) during the three-year period of performance.
In FY2017/2018 the City will have a 25% share of $194,759. plus overtime of $83,200. for $277,959.
In FY2018/2019 the City will have a 25% share of $267,911. plus overtime of $89,024. for $356,935.
In FY2019/2020 the City will have a 65% share of $664,352. plus overtime of $95,356. for $759,608.
In FY2020/2021 (five months) the City will have a 65% share of $319,570. plus overtime of $42,468. for $362,038.
The City will be responsible for total shares, salary adjustments and overtime costs of $1,756,540 over the three-year period of performance.
The FEMA SAFER Grant will reimburse the City a total of $1,393,193. over the three-year period. The City would pay the full cost (salaries, benefits and overtime) for six firefighter/ paramedics in the fourth year, after the grant ends, of $1,132,472.
DISCUSSION:
The City of Cathedral City applied for FEMA SAFER grants in fiscal years 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 and was not awarded the federal funding.
Staff engaged a grant writer in 2016/17 for $2,300 who helped prepare the SAFER grant application and coordinate the congressional letters of support. Staff would like to recognize the elected officials and their staff members who sent letters to FEMA on behalf of the City SAFER grant;
United States Senator Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator Kamala D. Harris
Member of Congress Raul Ruiz
California State Senator, 28th District Jeff Stone
The 2016/17 FEMA SAFER grant award will improve the life safety and fire protection for city residents and visitors.
A governing body resolution to accept the grant award is a required element of the FEMA SAFER grant process.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The FEMA SAFER grant award will reimburse the City $1,393,193 for the salaries and benefits of six firefighter / paramedics, over a three-year period of performance.
City Council approval of the grant award will authorize a two-year budget amendment for FY2017/18 and 2018/19 of $634,894 and authorize share and overtime funds in budget years FY2019/2020 of $759,608 and FY2020/2021 (five months) of $362,038. The total City cost over the three-year period of performance is $1,756,540.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution 2017 - FEMA SAFER Grant Award