City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 7, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: COREY SMEDLEY, FIRE CHIEF
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Consideration of a Grant Application to the 2022 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Grant Program from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency.
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ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application to the (federal fiscal year) 2022 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve the submission of a grant application for up to $6,785,655 to fund 25 additional firefighters for relief staffing for the Alexandria Fire Department (AFD); and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The federal fiscal year (FY) 2022 Staffing for Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant Program (hereafter referred to as the SAFER Program) is one of three grant programs that constitute the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency's focus on enhancing the safety of the public and firefighters with respect to fire and fire-related hazards.
The SAFER Program provides funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to assist in increasing the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards and attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards, and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. Since 2005, the SAFER Program has awarded approximately $5.2 billion in grant funding to provide critically needed resources to hire new, additional firefighters or to retain firefighters facing layoff, as well as recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters.
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