Agenda Item Wording:
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Fire Department Grant Acceptance and Appropriation Request - Authorize staff to accept the 2023 State Homeland Security Grant Program grant award and appropriate $64,940 for the purchase of seven Motorola portable radios.
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Deadline for Action: 3/18/2024
Submitting Department: Fire Department
Contact Name and Phone Number: Dan Griswold, x4220; Crissy Balderama, x4513
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends the City Council authorize staff to accept the 2023 State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) and appropriate $64,940 for the purchase of seven Motorola APX 8000HXE portable radios. No match funding is required.
Background Discussion:
In December 2022, the Visalia Fire Department requested State Homeland Security grant funding for seven Motorola portable radios to improve emergency communications and cybersecurity capabilities, align with the National Preparedness Goals, and enhance communications for a more resilient Tulare & Kings County Regional Hazardous Materials Team. In February 2024, the Fire Department was awarded the requested funding for the radio project. The awarded radios will replace current Kenwood portable radios that are over 16 years old. The current radios do not support new FCC encryption laws for cybersecurity and parts/service are no longer available from the manufacturer. The Hazardous Materials Team radios must be certified to Division 1 HazLoc standards to maintain OES Type 1 team compliance. Meeting Division 1 HazLoc standards for radio equipment means the radios are designed with the highest level of intrinsic safety for use in hazardous environments where there are high concentrations of flammable gas, vapor, liquid, or dust. The Motorola APX 8000HXE meets the HazLoc standards.
The Visalia Fire Department is the lead agency responsible for operating the Tulare & Kings County Regional Hazardous Materials Team. The HazMat team is comprised of 12 total agencies and services a total population of 626,082 in the two-county area as of 2024. Because this is a multi-agency team, it is important to have interoperable communications equipment between agencies. Tulare and Kings Counties are predominately agriculturally based and have a high risk of hazardous materials incidents due to the presence of agriculturally based chemicals such as Ammonia. Additionally, large quantities of hazardous materials are shipped through Tulare and Kings Counties via Highway 198, Highway 99, and by rail. The Motorola APX 8000HXE is an all-band radio meaning the radio can transmit and receive on all commonly used frequencies. All-band capability for Hazmat Team radios will allow for Visalia hazmat team members to communicate with other agencies across jurisdictions during hazardous materials incident responses.
As a result of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, the State of California, and the Department of Homeland Security developed programs to assist government agencies with emergency preparedness activities and/or equipment. Since 2001, the Tulare County Office of Emergency Services has been the intermediate recipient of these funds and disburses the funding to cities and other agencies based upon agency and area needs. One of the programs is the State Homeland Security Grant Program. The grant is submitted and managed by the Tulare County Office of Emergency Services. If the grant is awarded to the County, the County disburses funding among local agencies based upon needs in the operational area.
Fiscal Impact:
Staff requests Council appropriate $64,940 from the General Fund to purchase seven Motorola portable Radios. This amount will be reimbursed by the State Office of Homeland Security and Tulare County Office of Emergency Services (OES). No match funding is required.
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives: Council can choose to decline the State Homeland Security Grant Program Award and seek funding for this project through the General Fund Capital Improvement Project process.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize staff to accept the 2023 State Homeland Security Grant Program and to appropriate $64,940 for the purchase of seven Motorola portable radios.
Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments: FY23 SHSGP VFD Notification of Sub Recipient Award, Award Binder, Assurances.