HomeMy WebLinkAboutOrdinance 18108-05-2008Ordinance No. 18108-05-2008
AN ORDINANCE INCREASING ESTIMATED RECEIPTS AND
APPROPRIATIONS IN THE GRANTS FUND IN THE AMOUNT OF $206,574
SUBJECT TO RECEIPT OF A GRANT FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF
HOMELAND SECURITY/FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
FOR THE FY 2007 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT; PROVIDING
FOR A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE; MAKING THIS ORDINANCE CUMULATIVE OF
PRIOR ORDINANCES IN CONFLICT HEREWITH; AND PROVIDING AN
EFFECTIVE DATE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT WORTH,
TEXAS:
SECTION 1.
That in addition to those amounts allocated to the various City departments for Fiscal Year 2007-
2008 and in the Budget of the City Manager, there shall also be increased estimated receipts and
appropriations in the Grants Fund in the amount of $206,574 subject to receipt of a grant from the
Department of Homeland Security/Federal Emergency Management Agency for the FY 2007
Assistance to Firefighters Grant.
SECTION 2.
That should any portion, section or part of a section of this ordinance be declared invalid,
inoperative or void for any reason by a court of competent jurisdiction, such decision, opinion or
judgment shall in no way impair the remaining portions, sections, or parts of sections of this
ordinance, which said remaining provisions shall be and remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 3.
That this ordinance shall be cumulative of Ordinance No. 17749 and all other ordinances and
appropriations amending the same except in those instances where the provisions of this ordinance
are in direct conflict with such other ordinances and appropriations, in which instance said
conflicting provisions of said prior ordinances and appropriations are hereby expressly repealed.
SECTION 4.
This ordinance shall take effect upon adoption.
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY:
~~<~. [ifs-,,de.~a..c,~...-'
Assistant City Attorney
ADOPTED AND EFFECTIVE: May 28, 2008
CO~y ®f F®rt IN®rth, 1"exa~
Mayor and Council Communication
COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 5/27/2008 -Ord. No. 18108-05-2008
DATE: Tuesday, May 27, 2008
LOG NAnIIE: 36AFG07 REFERENCE NO.: ~*G-16158
SUBJECT:
Ratify the City Manager's Application and Acceptance of $165,260 in Grant Funds from the United
States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency for the Fiscal
Year 2007 Assistance to Firefighters Grant; Authorize the City Manager to Execute a Contract with
the Federal Emergency Management Agency; Authorize the Transfer of $41,314 as Required for the
City's Twenty Percent Match from the General Fund to the Grants Fund and Adopt Appropriation
Ordinance
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Ratify the City Manager's Application for, and acceptance of, a one-year grant from the United States
Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency Fiscal Year 2007 Assistance
to Firefighters Grant Program in the amount of $165,260;
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency;
3. Authorize the transfer of $41,314 as required for the twenty percent match from the General Fund to the
Grants Fund; and
4. Adopt the attached appropriation ordinance increasing estimated receipts and appropriations in the
Grants Fund by $206,574 subject to receipt of the funds.
DISCUSSION:
The United States Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
annually provides funding for fire departments in order to help them protect the safety of the public and their
personnel when faced with fire and public health hazards. The Fort Worth Fire Department will receive
$165,260 from FEMA and the Fire Department will use $41,314 from various accounts to meet the required
20 percent local match, for a total of $206,574. As explained below, $82,000 will be spent on one SUV-50
Positive Pressure Ventilator, $40,600 on 29 Hydra Rams, $15,000 on one forcible entry training prop, and
$68,974 to construct two exhaust extraction systems, which totals $206,574.
With the increasing number of large businesses in Fort Worth, such as RadioShack's downtown
headquarters, the Fire Department needs appropriate rescue equipment to help protect these businesses
from danger. Currently, Fort Worth has 229 buildings (12 percent of the response area) that are four stories
or taller and the Department does not have an effective ventilation fan to use during ahigh-rise fire
attack. For that reason, a total of $82,000 will be spent on a SUV-50 Positive Pressure Ventilator to
complete salvage and overhaul operations in a less hazardous atmosphere. This system is effective in
clearing smoke to other parts of the building, improving conditions on the fire floor, and improving
accessibility during a fire attack, all of which are vital to the safety of the firefighters and the people they are
Logname: 36AFG07 Page 1 of 2
trying to protect and to save.
Thirty-four percent of the incidents that the firefighters worked in 2006 were primarily in residential
neighborhoods, composed of one- and two-family dwellings. Because of this, our firefighters are good at
forcible entry through residential doors but they don't have a lot of practical experience at forcible entry
through steel doors. For this reason, when our firefighters respond to commercial structures, they realize
the extreme contrast between forcible entry through commercial steel doors and forcible entry through
residential doors, and that commercial buildings are more secure and sturdy than residential buildings.
Forcible entry is one of the most challenging and important parts of a firefighter's job and it affects all
interior fire ground operations. However, forcible entry is time-consuming and only 50 percent of the
Department's fire fleet carries a hydraulic entry tool, such as a Hydra ram. Therefore, a total of $55,600 will
be spent to purchase 29 Hydra Rams ($1,400 a piece) for the other half of the Department's fire fleet and to
purchase one forcible entry training prop ($15,000) for the entire Department.
Ultimately, the health and safety of the firefighters is the key to protecting our residents in dangerous fire
situations. In 2005, the Department funded a massive project to construct exhaust extraction systems in
each of the stations to protect our firefighters during their 24-hour shifts and to comply with NFPA
Regulation 1500. However, two of the stations were left out due to~lack of funding. Historically, Station 44
belonged to the military and only serviced Meacham Airport. In the 1960's, the City of Fort Worth acquired
Meacham Airport and Station 44, and in 1985, Station 25 was built to protect the surrounding residential
area. The Department is left with two stations without exhaust extraction systems and not enough money to
fund the project. The Fire Department will use a total of $68,974 to construct two exhaust extraction
systems in Station 44 and Station 25 to bring these stations into compliance with NFPA Regulation
1500. Once a Notice to Proceed is issued, the construction should take 90 days. These systems will help
remove fumes, that are trapped in the engine bays after an apparatus has left or re-entered the building.
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION:
The Finance Director certifies that upon award and receipt of the grant, approval of the above
recommendations, and adoption of the attached appropriation ordinance, funds will be available in the
current operating budget, as appropriated, of the Grants Fund.
TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers
GR76 472001 036446282000 $41,314.00 GG01 538070 0363510 $41,314.00
GR76 488022 036446282000 $165,260.00 GG01 524010 0363510 $41,314.00
GR76 5(VARIOUS) 036446282XXX $206,574.00
Submitted for City Manager's Office bk Joe Paniagua (6575)
Originating Department Head: Rudy Jackson (6801)
Additional Information Contact: Rudy Jackson (6801)
Logname: 36AFG07 Page 2 of 2