Consideration and Approval of Grant Application: The Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program - COVID 19 Supplemental Grant Award of $56,850 with the Federal Portion of $51,681

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused the Fire Department to expand its Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and inventory to accommodate the increasing use due to COVID-19 response activity. During the onset of the epidemic the Fire Department tracked use of PPE and the use of specific cleaning supplies used on the equipment by our personnel after these services were provided. Using this information, we made application to the Assistance to Firefighters Grant program Supplemental COVID-19 process. We have received an award in the above amount to assist in purchasing the materials to protect our employees and citizens from COVID exposures. We believe this will purchase a year's worth of PPE and cleaning supplies.

The grant award is in the amount of $51,681.82 with a city match in the amount of $5,168.18 for a total project cost of $56,850 to purchase PPE and cleaning supplies related to COVID-19 responses. This grant is budgeted in the General Fund, Fire Grant Section for $735,000 (account number 001-03-052-6152-2-4354).

No policy impacts.

Priority Based Budget Key Community Priorities and Objectives
Provide public safety with the resources, staff, and training to respond to community needs

Deliver outstanding services to residents through a healthy, well maintained infrastructure system

Regional Plan
Work across all government operations and services to prepare for the impacts of natural and human caused hazards.

None.

Accept the Grant
Decline the Grant

The project is to provide one year of PPE to each operational employee to be worn when responding to and treating potential COVID-19 patients as determined by our City Dispatch system. The Flagstaff Fire Department is a 90-person career department that provides 75,000-100,000 citizens and visitors fire and medical services 24 hours a day 7 days a week. We average 14,500 alarms a year with 80% or 11,600 Emergency Medical Service (EMS) calls a year. Throughout the COVID-19 emergency we have tracked our rate of PPE use and have assessed the risk to our employees. The City is the center and County seat of the second largest county in the USA at 18,000 square miles. Two of the three Coconino County Health Department drive up test sites are in our jurisdiction adding to the level of potential exposure. The current rate of test is 19% positive for COVID-19 meaning 1 in 5 people has the potential to be COVID-19 positive. Our protocols require PPE on all EMS incidents. We consider the full PPE to be eye protection, shoe covers, gowns, or EMS Turnouts, gloves N95, or higher protection. Full PPE will be worn on all High-Risk EMS calls where there is a potential carrier of the virus. This request was made using the average amount of PPE supplies used in a month multiplied by 12 months.

The Grant Award will provide the following equipment and supplies to our first responders. Eye Protection $1200. Isolation Gowns $19,800. Gloves $5,040. Footwear Covers $300.  Respirators $14,850.  Surgical Type Face Masks $6,000 to meet CDC recommendations and/or state mandates for face covering when in a public setting other than direct patient contact. We are including decontamination supplies and services for PPE, station-quarters, and vehicles. Personally issued antiseptic refillable hand washes bottle an alcohol sanitizer $3,000.  Decontamination soap for equipment and stations $1,200, and biohazard disposal cost are $6,000. (numbers are estimates)

This equipment and supplies protect first responders and the citizens from COVID-19 exposure when interacting with our crews or visiting the stations.

The grant funds one of the highest levels of protection to our employees and is consistent with our Grater Flagstaff Regional Partners.