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HomeMy WebLinkAbout _ 4.8(a)--Authorize Application to Assistance to Firefighter GrantC IT Y OF REMDINO�" AN CITY OF REDDING REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: March 5, 2024 FROM: Jerrod Vanlandingham, Fire ITEM NO. 4.8(a) Chief ***APPROVED BY*** WC "r � ung iam, Fire C` d f _ 2/21/2024 r ' ippni, an e 2/28/2024 #: jvanlandingham@cityofredding.org btippin@cityofredding.org SUBJECT: 4.8(a) --Authorize Application to Assistance to Firefighter Grant Recommendation Authorize and approve the following for the Redding Fire Department: (1) Approve submittal of a grant application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $440,000 with a ten percent match requirement. The funds requested will cover vital training for the department and cancer screening as recommended by the National Fire Protection Agency; and (2) Approve the International Association of Fire Fighters as the sole source provider of Fire Ground Survival Training should grant funds be awarded. Fiscal Impact The Redding Fire Department (RFD) is requesting $440,000 from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG). The grant requires a ten percent match of $44,000. As proposed, the match requirement would be funded through the Fire Department's current budget without a budget request. If the grant is awarded, staff will return to the City Council (Council) for grant acceptance, match confirmation and fund allocation. Alternative Action The City Council could choose not to authorize the Fire Department to apply for grant funding for all or part of the request. Background/Analysis The AFG is a federal program that aims to meet the needs of firefighting, and emergency response. The funding provided through the grant is focused on firefighter health and safety. Training: The Department is requesting funding for two certified training courses — International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) Fire Ground Survival and Confined Space Awareness. Report to Redding City Council February 28, 2024 Re: 4.8(a) --Authorize Application to Assistance to Firefighter Grant Page 2 Fire Ground Survival training teaches the skills essential to survival if a firefighter is lost, trapped, injured, or experiencing a breathing apparatus malfunction. This program aims to ensure that training for Mayday prevention and operations is consistent among all firefighters with a focus on the following: Preventing the Mayday, Being Ready for the Mayday, Self -Survival Procedures, Self -Survival Skills, and Managing a Mayday. The RFD has identified the IAFF Fire Ground Survival. Course as the most comprehensive course that is compliant with National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standards. Consistency throughout the fire service is imperative when it comes to Mayday situations. The Department identified the IAFF course as the most comprehensive and applies the lessons learned from firefighter fatality investigations conducted by the National Institute for Occupational. Safety and Health (NIOSH) and has been developed by a committee of subject matter experts from the IAFF, the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and NIOSH. Should funding be approved through this grant, the RFD is requesting this training be sole -sourced. Confined Space Awareness training enables firefighters to recognize potential dangers in confined spaces, leading to improved safety for themselves and others while reducing the time needed to assess the situation and initiate rescue operations. This expedited response will maximize the chances of successful outcomes for victims. The request to AFG for training will include the cost of the train -the -trainer course, all materials, equipment, and overtime for the attendees, or the overtime for shift coverage. Both trainings will result in certification for the entire Department and bring the RFD into compliance with NFPA standards and continue to keep RFD in compliance with OSHA standards; OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations, 1910.134 and OSHA Fire Brigade Standard, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations. Cancer Screening: The Department is requesting funding for cancer screening of all personnel over the next two years. Specifically, the RFD has identified testing which screens for over 50 types of cancers. The testing can identify cancers in their early stages. NFPA 1583 Standard on Health -Related Fitness programs for Fire Department Members does not specify specific cancer screening methods but instead emphasizes the importance of cancer screening as part of a comprehensive health program. Firefighter occupational cancer is the leading cause of line -of - duty deaths in the fire service. This type of cancer screening can detect cancers before symptoms – the earlier the cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of successful treatment and survival. Environmental Review This is not a project defined under the California Environmental Quality Act, and no further action is required. Council Priority/City Manager Goals • Public Safety – "Work to improve all aspects of public safety to help people feel secure and safe where they live, work, and play in the City of Redding." • Budget and Financial Management –"Achieve balanced and stable 10—year Financial Plans for all funds."