Title
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute All Necessary Documents with the Department of Homeland Security to Accept $876,633.45 in Grant Funds and Appropriate the Required Match of $87,663.35 from General Fund Residual Fund Balance to Train City of Alameda Firefighters to a Paramedic Certification Level, and Amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Fire Grants Fund (Fund 220) Operating Budget Increasing Appropriations by $876,663.45 and the Alameda Fire Department’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 General Fund Operating Budget Increasing Appropriations $87,663.35. (Fire 22032260)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda’s (City) Fire Department (AFD) was awarded a Fiscal Year 2022-23 Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to train the City’s firefighters to advance from Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) to Paramedic (EMT-P) certification level. Staff seeks City Council’s approval to accept the grant funds and adopt the attached resolution. As a condition of this grant, the City is required to contribute non-federal funds equal to 10% of the federal funds awarded or $87,663.35 for a total amount of $964,296.80.
BACKGROUND
The AFG Program of DHS/FEMA is an important component of a larger coordinated effort to strengthen the nation’s overall level of preparedness and ability to respond to fire and related hazards. Since 2001, the AFG Program has helped to provide critically needed equipment, protective gear, emergency vehicles, training and other resources needed to firefighters and other first responders.
The grant award was based on a competitive process overseen by fire service subject matter experts. Grants are awarded to applicants whose requests best address the priorities of the AFG Program. The program enhances, through direct financial assistance, the health and safety of the public and firefighting personnel and provides a continuum of support for emergency responders regarding fire, medical, and all-hazard events.
Similar to other cities across the state, the City has experienced an increased need and demand on public safety services. AFD has seen a 23.1% increase in calls for service over the last five years and anticipates that trend to continue. While the needs in the community persist and grow, the biggest challenge AFD faces is that we are not attracting licensed paramedics as applicants who can pass the AFD recruitment process. AFD is pressured and challenged to hire medics faster than personnel are retiring. To address this issue, AFD applied for AFG funding to allow for current employees to receive the required training to become a Paramedic.
On August 06, 2024, AFD was notified that the grant was awarded in the amount of $876,633.45, with a matching requirement of $87,663.35. This grant funding will allow the City to increase its paramedic staffing model and provide service consistent with the community’s changing demographics.
DISCUSSION
AFD is currently experiencing challenges maintaining minimum staffing levels for Paramedic firefighters. The San Francisco Bay Area and the State of California have seen a significant decrease in the availability of qualified paramedics. Due to retirements, attrition, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on training programs, the AFD’s number of paramedics has steadily declined. During a recent recruitment effort, less than seven percent of applicants were Paramedics. Accepting the AFG funds will allow AFD to provide paramedic training to current personnel by covering tuition fees, supplies, and associated personnel costs. The addition of trained paramedics will benefit the community by staffing any of AFD’s Advanced Life Support (ALS) apparatus and will also support the Alameda Community Assessment Response and Engagement (CARE) Team, that is led by AFD.
AFD continues to experience an increase in the calls for service and has seen a significant increase in calls for which the CARE Team can be used. The increased call volume and multiple simultaneous calls place tremendous pressure on AFD’s emergency response system. With this statewide shortage of paramedics, more and more departments are transitioning to a model of hiring EMTs and then training them to the Paramedic level. In an attempt to change internal strategies and following the lead of other agencies for filling Paramedic vacancies, AFD submitted an application to AFG March 2024 to fund this training concept. The AFG is a program from FEMA that provides resources to help fire departments and emergency medical services protect the public and first responders from fire and other hazards. The program has been running since 2001 and is considered one of the largest and most competitive fire grants in the country.
On August 06, 2024, AFD was notified that the grant was awarded in the amount of $876,633.45, with a matching requirement of $87,663.35 (10% matching). With this grant, AFD will be able to implement this new concept to train EMTs to become certified paramedics. The training is an 18-month program that includes didactic and lab portions, clinical rotations, and field internships. These funds must be used within the period of performance specified in the award package, which is 24 months, and extensions may be allowed after the performance period if needed.
City staff recommends that City Council accept this grant funding to support the enhanced Emergency Medical Services training for their current employees and authorize the use of $87,663.35 of residual General Fund fund balance for the required 10% grant match.
ALTERNATIVES
• Accept the grant.
• Do not accept the grant and continue to focus on the recruitment of entry-level paramedics with the hope the qualified hiring pool increases compared to the last few recruitments.
• Allocate $964,296.80 from the General Fund or other City funding sources to train the City’s Firefighter to the Paramedic certification level.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The immediate fiscal impact requires a budget amendment. AFD’s current operating budget does not have capacity to fund the 10% grant match without an additional budget appropriation of $87,663.35. Their funds will be appropriated from the General Fund residual fund balance.
Additionally, once a sworn member achieves the certification of Paramedic, they will receive additional pay between approximately $11,000 and $15,000 per year (excluding any CalPERS impact) for performing these duties per the current Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 689 25.11(b). This additional annual cost is not exclusive to accepting the AFG funds and would be incurred if AFD were able to recruit more entry-level Firefighter Paramedics.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with Alameda Municipal Code Section 2-59 (Authorization of Contracts). This action supports the Strategic Priority, “Enhance Community Safety & Services” in the City’s Strategic Plan.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the Department of Homeland Security to accept $876,633.45 in grant funds; and amending the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Fire Grants Fund (Fund 220) operating budget increasing appropriations by $876,663.45 and the City of Alameda Fire Department’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 General Fund operating budget increasing appropriations by $87,663.35.
Respectfully submitted,
Nicholas Luby, Fire Chief
By,
Jas Singh, Management Analyst
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. AFG Award Letter