City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MAY 13, 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 Next Generation (NG) 9-1-1 Funding and Virginia Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Education Program Through The Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for Educational Training
BODY
ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application to Next Generation (NG) 9-1-1 Funding and Virginia Public Safety Answering Point Education Program through Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) to fund for educational training for Department of Emergency and Customer Communication (DECC) personnel.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Retroactively approve the submission of the grant application (applied on March 31, 2025) for up to $4,000; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: NG9-1-1 is an Internet Protocol-based system that allows digital information (e.g., voice, photos, videos, text messages) to flow seamlessly from the public, through the 9-1-1 network to emergency responders. NG9-1-1 will benefit the residents, visitors, and businesses of the City of Alexandria and the National Capital Region (NCR) by enhancing call delivery resiliency and reliability; creating network redundancy and diversity; enabling real-time photo and video transmissions; and improving call transfer capabilities across jurisdictions. Purposeful implementation of NG9-1-1 will maximize the region’s continued commitment to timely and effective delivery of interoperable 9-1-1 service.
The NG9-1-1 Funding and PSAP Grant Program is a multi-million-dollar funding and grant program administered by the Virginia 9-1-1 Services Board. Funding is limited to those projects that fall within the programmatic areas identified in the guidelines. However, priority shall be given to grants that support the deployment and sustainment of NG9-1-1.
DISCUSSION: The Department of Emergency and Customer Communication (DECC) is requesting grant funds up to the amount of $4,000 to assist with the training needs for technology adoption, ongoing management of technology hardware and software, career development, and wellness classes to support the well-being of personnel. Personnel from DECC will attend the Virginia NENA/APCO Spring & Fall training conference where the latest NG9-1-1 topics will be discussed and coordinated. This grant also supports online learning including subscription-based training programs, if staffing constraints prevent in-person attendance.
FISCAL IMPACT: The grant does not require any matching funds and does not have a fiscal impact.
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
Teresa Smith, Emergency Communications Training Specialist, DECC