HomeMy WebLinkAboutHomeland Security - Firefighters Grant ProgramTO:
CITY OF PALM DESERT
CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE
STAFF REPORT
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO APPLY FOR DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND
SECURITY (DHS) FY 2009 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS
GRANT PROGRAM.
SUBMITTED BY: Stephen Y. Aryan, Assistant to the City Manager
DATE: May 7, 2009
RECOMMENDATION
By Minute Motion:
1. APPROVE staff's request to apply for the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) FY 2009 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program.
BACKGROUND
The Department of Homeland Security opened the FY 2009 Assistance to Firefighters
Grants application period. This grant program commenced on April 15, 2009, and all
grant applications must be received by May 20, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time.
The AFG awards, which will be distributed in phases, will ultimately provide
approximately $510 million to fire departments and nonaffiliated emergency medical
service organizations throughout the country. AFG awards aim to enhance response
capabilities and to more effectively protect the health and safety of the public with
respect to fire and other hazards. The grants enable local fire departments to purchase
or receive training, conduct first responder health and safety programs, and buy
equipment/response vehicles.
Staff respectfully requests the City Council's approval to apply to the AFG program.
The specific projects recommended for funding include the cost of the proposed CNG
ambulance and those grant eligible equipment the fire department listed as part of the
budgetary white paper process. Although only the ambulance's chassis and patient box
may be approved (not the CNG conversion), staff will be applying for the total
anticipated costs of the vehicle.
FISCAL IMPACT
The AFG is a competitive grant program that requires matching funds based on the
applicant's population size. The ambulance costs are not currently known, but staff
estimates that the total amount requested for funding to be approximately $250,000.
Assistance to Firefighters Grant
May 7, 2009
Page 2 of 2
Fire departments and nonaffiliated EMS organizations serving populations of over
50,000 or more must match the Federal grant funds with an amount of non -Federal
funds equal to 20 percent (20%) of the total project cost. Palm Desert's permanent
population is greater than 50,000 so the City would fall under this cost sharing category,
funding $50,000 of the estimated project costs.
It is anticipated that AFG awards announcements will not be known until early 2010.
However, expenses incurred after the application deadline, but prior to award, may be
eligible for reimbursement if the expenses were justified, unavoidable, consistent with
the grant's scope of work, and specifically approved by DHS.
Prepared By:
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Step`en.1. Aryan
Assistant to the C 'Manager
Approved By:
M. Wohlmuth
ity Manager
CITY COUNCILACTION
APPROVED / . DENIED
RECEIVED OTHER
MEETIYG DATE 5-'7-69
z--' AYES: 00/t500/Fe`jI2Stv1Ke/I, , e/
NOES: N„i1F,
ABSENT: AI one_
ABSTAIN: t/CnR-
VERIFIED BY: bKa Fri
Original on File with City Clerk's Office
G.\CityMgr\Stephen Aryan\Agenda Reports\Grand Jury Report-CVMVCD doc