City of Alexandria, Virginia
MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 24, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: RENEE GORDON, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY AND CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for Additional Next Generation 9-1-1 Funding through the Public Safety Answering Point Grants Program.
BODY
ISSUE: Consideration of an application for grant funding from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to purchase two (2) FirstNet Compact Rapid Deployables.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council:
(1) Retroactively approve the submission of a grant application (applied on May 13, 2025) for up to $150,000;
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute any necessary documents to accept this grant that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The NG9-1-1 Funding and PSAP Grant Program is a funding and grant program administered by the Virginia 9-1-1 Services Board through VDEM. The Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Grant for Next Generation 9-1-1 Additional Funding provides funds to primary PSAP’s in the Commonwealth for NG 9-1-1 recurring costs and/or other immediate operational needs. These grant funds are to be used to supplement the portion of local governments’ budgets, not to supplant funds.
DISCUSSION: The Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC) serves as the City of Alexandria’s singular answering point for 9-1-1 calls, or PSAP. Ensuring resiliency and redundancy are foundational to maintaining DECC’s mission of accessibility 24/7/365. DECC proposes using this funding to purchase two portable FirstNet Compact Rapid Deployables. These devices provide a mobile self-contained cell tower and internet access point deployable by public safety agencies during system-wide network outages when traditional cellular service is unavailable or unreliable.
FISCAL IMPACT: This does not require any matching funds. If this grant is approved, DECC intends to purchase two CRD’s totaling $156,000 using a combination of grant funds and previously budgeted operating funds.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Yon Lambert, Deputy City Manager
Tenesia Wells, Deputy Director, DECC
Martina Alexander, Assistant Director of Administration, DECC
Walter Kaplan, Division Chief of Public Safety Communication Systems, DECC