Subject:
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Consider support from City Council authorizing the Harrisonburg Fire Department to pursue a SAFER grant to fund fifteen firefighter positions.
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Presented By: Matthew Tobia, ,Chief, Harrisonburg Fire Department
Recommendation and Review
In January 2022, City Council voted to formally authorize the Fire Department to pursue a federally funded grant under FEMA, known as SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) seeking funding for fifteen firefighter positions intended to staff Fire Station #5. The application was submitted timely in March 2022, and ultimately, (although judged competitive) was not funded under the program. FEMA received over 1500 applications seeking a combined $5 Billion in funding requests however they only had $560 Million in available funding. In January 2022, during a staff briefing to Council, the Fire Department committed to returning for additional guidance if the grant was not awarded. The grant cycle has re-opened, and we are seeking formal support from Council to apply for a SAFER grant in the current cycle.
Note: In the prior application, all fifteen positions were proposed for Fire Station #5. However, in the proposed application, twelve positions will be proposed for Fire Station #5 and three positions will be proposed for Fire Station #1 to consistently meet NFPA 1710, a key criterion in grant application grading. It is believed that this action will make the grant itself more competitive. The total number of positions being sought has not changed.