ITEM TITLE:
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#25-28 - Authorizing the Valdez Fire Department to Submit an Application for the FEMA Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant
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SUBMITTED BY: Chief Raynor, Valdez Fire/EMS Department
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: N/A
Unencumbered Balance: N/A
Funding Source: N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
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Approve application for SAFER GRANT for 3 new EMS/Firefighters.
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
Citygate Associates, LLC performed a Fire/EMS Comprehensive Operations Assessment for the City of Valdez in 2021-22.
The City of Valdez, Alaska (City) retained Citygate Associates, LLC (Citygate) to conduct a comprehensive Fire/EMS Department Operations Assessment with the goal to review current organizational conditions, analyze future service demands and service delivery options, and provide a plan to guide the Department over the next three to five years.
Overall, there are 20 findings and four recommendations. The SAFER GRANT is requested to be applied for because Citygate Recommendation #2: Increase the staffing at Station 1 daily from two to four fully certified firefighter/EMT personnel.
The proposed SAFER GRANT applicant will ask for 3 more firefighters creating daily staffing from 2 to 3 at Fire Station 1. The volunteer force while dedicated is still not large enough and lacks certain training to supplement career firefighters. Adding one new career personnel per day for a total of 3. On a three-platoon schedule, that requires 3 new personnel. The study suggested 6 new personnel, but Administration proposes incremental additions to the fire department and maybe consider 3 more firefighters through a SAFER GRANT over three years.
Adding one more career person per day, for three new personnel in total creates a situation whereby if the ambulance is committed when a fire call occurs, the third career person could at least drive the engine to the scene.
The SAFER GRANT will pay for benefits and base wage for three (3) years but require a ...
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