City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MAY 23, 2013
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
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Consideration of Acceptance of a Funding Allocation from the 2012 National Capital Region (NCR), Urban Area Security Initiative Grant in the Amount of $145,200 for the Fire Department.
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ISSUE: Council consideration of acceptance of a grant allocation in the amount of $145,200 as a sub-grantee award from the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, from the District of Columbia Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (DCHSEMA), on behalf of the National Capital Region (NCR), from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These funds will be used to enhance the surge capability for water rescue emergencies during severe weather events that cause dangerous flash flooding and coastal flooding events within the NCR by providing those jurisdictions with Swift Water Rescue capabilities Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), motorized swift water boats, and a support vehicle
BACKGROUND: The City of Alexandria routinely experiences coastal flooding along the Potomac River. There have been two major flash flooding events within the last eight years that required immediate rescue of individuals in multiple locations in the City due to flash flooding. In addition, the Fire Department has responded to more than two incidents per year on average over the last five years that called for rescues from bodies of water other than the Potomac River and swimming pools.
The flash flooding from Tropical Storm Lee in September 2011 stretched the Fire Department's available swift water resources beyond the needs to handle rescue. On September 8, 2011, the Fire Department responded to two major shift water incidents in the City that resulted in more than 30 rescues of people who were being swept downstream by the rapidly rising flood waters along Eisenhower Avenue and South Pickett Street. At the same time, Fire Department units responded to another flash flooding incident in nearby Fairfax County along Edsall Road where an individual was rescued from a car as his the car was being swept away by the raging water. All three of these incidents were handled without the assistance of trained swift water firefighters with proper PPE, equipment and boats because of the lack of regional capacity to provide these resources during a major flash flooding event.
In October 2011, the Fire Department requested funds of the Acting City Manager for equipment and training for a full flood water and swift water rescue capability in response to the flash flood events of September 8, 2011. This funding was to come from a portion of the General Fund surplus identified from FY 2011. The Acting City Manager recommended, and Council approved, $213,950, a portion of the requested funding level, which could provide basic flood water awareness level training for all Fire personnel, e.g., training Fire personnel how to practice land-based rescue by throwing ropes to the flood water victims, and also provide needed basic safety equipment, e.g., personal protective equipment (PPE), helmets, lights and (rope) throw bags. Docket Item #12 on October 25, 2011 and the discussion by Council on the date provide a more thorough review of this issue. City Council subsequently approved an allocation of $213,950 and appropriated these funds for the stated purpose in a Supplemental Appropriation Ordinance on November 12, 2011. On May 2, 2012, City Council approved the planned use of up to $161,780 of the special allocation as a 25 percent cash or in-kind match to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) 2012 Port Security Program Grant (PSPG) application for water rescue PPE, training classes for the Fire Department's Marine Operations Team (MOT), and flood water/shallow water rescue equipment, leaving $52,170 for basic flood water and shallow water response training and equipment.
The Fire Chiefs Committee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG), recognizing that a flash flooding event affects the entire region at the same time, established a priority for improving regional response capabilities to flash flooding and coastal flooding. On behalf of the Fire Chief Committee, the Technical Rescue Sub-Committee conducted an incident and resource analysis. The analysis identified that a few COG jurisdictions, including the City of Alexandria, had limited or no swift water response capabilities and that these jurisdictions had to rely upon mutual aid assistance to provide in-water swift water rescue teams. For other jurisdictions that had swift water capabilities, the Sub-Committee determined that these jurisdictions were overwhelmed during significant events that prevented them from lending assistance to others.
The Fire Chiefs Committee endorsed a UASI program management plan for establishing surge capabilities in the NCR by providing swift water PPE, motorized swift water boats and equipment, and a support vehicle to those jurisdictions lacking response capabilities; enhancing PPE supplies, swift water boats and support vehicles to jurisdictions that currently have response capabilities; and training a cadre of instructors in the NCR to provide regional swift water rescue training. The surge principal is to provide those jurisdictions without swift water response capabilities with the needed resources to allow for self-sufficiency when mutual aid is unavailable, and to enhance the available resources in the region during predicted weather events. The 2012 NCR UASI grant has distributed $935,880 of grant funds throughout the NCR to provide surge capabilities for swift water rescue.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Authorize the City Manager to accept the funding from the NCR Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) grant program in the amount of $145,200; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all the necessary documents that may be required.
DISCUSSION: AFD was notified on April 7, 2013 by Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Service, grantee of the swift water award, that the City is eligible to receive a total of $145,200 for purchasing:
- Water rescue PPE, including dry suits, swift water/rescue personal floatation devices (PFD), helmets, and other water entry equipment ($25,000);
- Two swift water boats, including trailers, outboard motors, and operating equipment ($54,200); and,
- A boat support unit that is configured to tow swift water rescue boats and carry portable swift water equipment and PPE ($66,000).
In addition to the grant award, separate training funding has been provided by the 2012 NCR UASI grant that is managed by the COG Exercise and Training Oversight Panel (ETOP) to pay for registration, attendance and backfill for up to seven Fire Department members to be trained as instructors for swift water awareness, operations, and technicians, and swift water boat operators. These instructors will be part of a regional training program for providing swift water training in the NCR.
The current capabilities for water rescue from the Fire Department is for river rescue utilizing a fire boat and shore-based water rescue for coastal flood water, shallow flood water, flat water, e.g., ponds and lakes, and swift water utilizing (rope) throw bags and life rings. The Department's Fireboat is limited in water rescue capabilities to City and private marinas and along the Potomac River shoreline because of the size of the vessel and the shallow depth of the water along the shoreline.
The addition of motorized swift water boats and PPE to the Fire Department's Marine Operations Team will enhance the capabilities for performing water rescue and hazardous materials response to incidents in the marinas and along the shoreline, and, in addition, to performing in-water rescue at flat water and swift water rescue incidents.
The COG Technical Rescue Sub-Committee has requested additional funding through the 2013 NCR UASI Grant Program for sustainment of this FY 2012 UASI Grant to provide responder training for swift water operation, technicians and boat operators. The COG Fire Chiefs Committee has endorsed this grant proposal as a priority program for funding.
FISCAL IMPACT: The City is responsible for normal administrative costs associated with this grant, including procurement of the equipment and financial and reporting oversight provided by the Fire Department, the Office of Budget and Management, and the Finance Department. The ongoing operating and maintenance cost for the equipment to remain serviceable will be absorbed within the Fire Department's operating budget. There will be personnel costs for an estimated 20 Firefighters to maintain training proficiency at swift water training facilities outside of the City that is estimated at $30,000 annually. This will pay for a combination of training costs and overtime funding needed for training that occurs on shift. Placing the PPE, boats and support vehicle on a ten year replacement cycle will cost $18,876 per year. These additional costs will need to be added, respectively, to the Fire Department's operating and fleet replacement budget.
ATTACHMENT: None.
STAFF:
Michele Evans, Deputy City Manager
Adam K. Thiel, Fire Chief
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