Fort Walton Beach Council agenda — 04-13-2010 Regular — reading text

explanation below. You can use this space to provide information on the project, cost share match, or if you have an indirect cost agreement with a federal agency. Total Budget 115, 200 https:// eservices. fema.gov/ FemaFireGrant/ firegradFI3§ p /fire2009 /application/print_app .j sp ?... 3/ 24/ 2010 Application Number: EMW-2009- FO- 0 173 5 Page 15 of 24 Narrative Statement Project Description Please indicate which of these Target Capabilities your request outlined in this application will satisfy. Check all that apply: Responder Safety and Health Firefighting Operations /Support Search and Rescue Please provide your-narrative statement in the space provided below. Include in your narrative, details regarding ( 1) your project' s description and budget, ( 2) your organization' s financial need, ( 3) the benefit to be derived from the cost of your project, and (4) how the activities requested in your application will help your organization' s daily operations and how this grant will protect life and property. Department Overview: The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department serves the City of Fort Walton Beach and the surrounding area in southern Okaloosa County, Florida. The City is located on the northern Gulf Coast between Panama City and Pensacola and has a population of approximately 20, 800. The department is all- career, consisting of the Fire Chief, Deputy Chief, 33 line personnel, 3 fire prevention personnel, and 1 administrative assistant. Due to the close proximity of other fire service organizations, numerous abutting geographical boundaries, and a general shortage of firefighting personnel in the area, the department participates in numerous automatic aid agreements. All department response personnel are cross- trained as Emergency Medical Technicians and /or Paramedics. These personnel staff a 75' truck and 1 rescue company at the main fire station, and 1 engine company at a second fire station. All companies are ALS capable. The department houses one reserve engine and the County' s Regional Special Operations ( HazMat/Technical Rescue) vehicles at our main station. Fort Walton Beach personnel staff the Special Operations vehicle after normal business hours. We provide a multitude of emergency and non- emergency, services, including ALS non -transport first response. Our service coverage includes U. S: Highway 98, the primary coastal artery along the Gulf Coast, and a bridge connecting Fort Walton Beach to a barrier island community leading eastward to the City of Destin: We also provide coverage to parts of Eglin Air Force Base and Hurlburt Airfield. Both of these bases are' critical national defense facilities. Our mutual aid agreements extend our population coverage to 100, 000 residents year round and up to 200,000 people during Spring Break and summer months. In recent years we have been directly affected by 4 hurricanes and numerous tropical storms. Project Description and Budget: After performing a. thorough risk and needs assessment, our department has determined that there is an immediate need to upgrade our self -contained breathing apparatus ( SCBA). The department' s current SCBA has been in- service and used regularly for over 6 years. Unfortunately, these apparatus have begun to experience regular maintenance issues and no longer meet current industry standards. The Fort Walton Beach Fire Department emphasizes and trains to perform safe, yet aggressive, interior firefighting methods and techniques to provide for the rapid rescue of trapped fire victims and to preserve viable property. Perhaps, there is no more important piece of equipment to the modern -day firefighter than his /her SCBA which allows personnel to carry out these two most fundamental firefighter missions; protect life and property. In addition, the department wishes to transition to a more lightweight and low- profile SCBA bottle. By reducing the overall weight of donned SCBA, personnel should notice a reduction in firefighter fatigue. This is most important in an area that relies so heavily on automatic aid and outside assistance. A shortage of firefighting personnel requires our firefighters to work for longer periods of time and on numerous tasks. This grant request, if approved, provides funding that will ensure all department personnel have access to modern breathing apparatus that is safe, reliable, and meets the rigorous current standards of NFPA 1981, Standard on*Open- Circuit SCBA for Emergency Services and NFPA 1982, Standard on Personal Alert Safety Systems ( PASS). To provide for these important upgrades in equipment, the department has been in contact with reputable fire equipment vendors to determine costs associated with this project. The budget for this grant request is as follows: 23 Upgrade Kits for Scott Air -Pak Fifty breathing apparatus ........... $90, 000 https: / / eservices. fema. gov/ FemaFireGrant/ firegrari isplfire2009lapplicationlprint_ 3/ 24/ 2010 Application Number: EMW- 2009 -FO -01735 Page 16 of 24 36 Lightweight Carbon Low -profile 4500 psi 30- minute SCBA bottles .............$25, 200 TOTAL $ 115, 200 Financial Need: Fort Walton Beach is an incorporated city. Most fire department funding is accomplished through ad valorem taxes. Due to action by the Florida legislature during the summer of 2007, 'the City' s millage rate for FY 2007 -08 was reduced 9. 6% from the previous year. In January, 2008, the Florida voters passed " Amendment 1 ", a tax reform act expected to cut our budget by another 8% in FY 2008 -09. At a time when expenses are increasing, the City' s revenue base is decreasing for the second year in a row and will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future. The fire department budget for the current year is $ 3, 530, 499. Almost 90% of that amount 2,730,702) is used to pay for personnel costs. About 10 % ($ 314,059) is used for operating expenses. No monies remain for capital outlay purchases. As stated, the upcoming budget,is expected to be cut by 8 %, leaving only the 90% currently allotted for personnel costs and 2% for operating expenses. There will be no funding for capital outlay purchases. Almost all funds used for operating expenses will have to be offset by cuts in personnel costs. Our department is instituted an early -out incentive, replacing senior members with entry- level employees in an effort to avoid layoffs. We have tried to institute fire service fees on some of our services to reduce the impact of the legislation on ad valorem revenues. However, the Florida legislature is taking steps to Prevent departments from recouping some of these types of fees. These actions, compounded with the current national economic situation and the severe reduction of home values in the State of Florida have placed a severe funding crisis on fire service organizations that are predominantly funded through property taxes. The city is surrounded by water and military bases and has not increased. in population for years. There is no growth to offset the reduction in ad valorem taxes. At this time, due to the Florida legislative actions, the only way we can replace equipment is through grants or reductions in personnel.and services. Cost/ Benefit: The department's SCBA are not in compliance with current industry standards and have become decreasingly reliable in their use. The SCBA have a Scott Electronic Management System ( SEMS) accountability system that tracks up to 100 personnel on scene and continuously monitors up to 48 firefighters who are using their breathing apparatus. However, this system is also in need of an upgrade which is included in the upgrade kit costs: Compliance with new standards, communications that work well, and an. updated electronic. accountability system will help improve on- scene safety for fire, rescue, and hazardous materials incidents. Our two largest mutual aid departments and the regional hazardous materials team use Scott SCBAs, thus we will have inter- operability in our mutual aid system. Our upgraded electronic accountability system could monitor their personnel if they obtain the transceivers and our SCBA can interface with theirs should .a firefighter rescue situation occur. While these are all benefits that improve service to the 21, 000 residents of our city and the approximately 100, 000 residents and visitors in the surrounding area, the most important benefit derived from the successful acquisition' of this grant is the improved safety of our responding firefighters by upgrading obsolete personal protective equipment. Effect on Daily Operations: Fort Walton Beach firefighters respond daily to many emergency and non- emergency calls for assistance. However., the most important, and the most dangerous mission that our personnel continue to carry out is the combating of uncontrolled fire. It is the department's responsibility to. do everything within its power to ensure that its personnel are properly trained and equipped to effectively and safely carry out this mission. Fort Walton Beach and most of the fire departments located in southern Okaloosa County, Florida do not have enough on- duty personnel to safely respond and mitigate major fires within their own jurisdiction. Therefore, heavy use of a regional automatic aid system, many times places responders in multiple surrounding jurisdictions on fire responses. It also requires firefighters to work for longer periods of time and on multiple tasks on the fire ground. It is paramount that these responders be provided with up -to -date and viable personal protective equipment and accountability systems that provide for their safety and contribute as little as possible to firefighter fatigue. In the face of severe budget cuts, this grant would help ensure the safety of responding firefighters through ht.tps:Heservices. fema.gov/ FemaFireGrant/ firegrafi?lsp/flre2009 /applicationlprint_app.j sp ?... 3/ 24/ 2010 Application Number: EMW- 2009 -FO -01735 Page 17 of 24 upgrading obsolete personal protective equipment, updating an obsolete electronic accountability system, and reducing firefighter fatigue through .use of lighter equipment. Together, this provides a safer and more effective emergency responder for the City of Fort Walton Beach and the surrounding area. Please describe all grants that you have received from DHS including any AFG grants received from DHS or FEMA, for example, 2002 AFG grant for vehicle or 2003 ODP grant for exercises. ( Enter "N /A" if Not Applicable) 2002 AFG grant for gym equipment. 2003 AFG grant for replacement of SCBA equipment. 2007 AFG grant for thermal imagers, SCBA voice amplifiers, automatic ventilators, 75 Kw generator. 2007 CEDAP grant for hazmat detection equipment. 2008 AFG grant for fire operations equipment, personal protective equipment and training https:Heservices. fema. gov/ F`emaFireGrant/ firegraritl §p /fire2009 /applicationlprint app jsp ?... 3/ 24/ 2010.