Title
CONSIDERATION OF A FEMA - ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT (AFG) IN THE AMOUNT OF $717,371 FOR A RADIO REPLACEMENT PROGRAM FOR FIRE DISTRICT #1.
Presented by: Doug Williams, Division Chief.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the application for the grant, and if awarded, authorize acceptance of the grant and the establishment of budget authority as provided in the Financial Considerations section of this Request.
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Sedgwick County Fire District #1 is seeking to replace old mobile and portable 800 MHz radios. The department’s current portable radios are over 11 years old and are no longer being manufactured. These radios are beyond their life expectancy and we are struggling to keep them repaired and in service. Our department is at a point where the manufacturer will no longer guarantee parts availability. The proposed project for portable radios would involve the purchase of 102 portable radios with remote speaker microphones. These radios will all be staged in truck mounted chargers which would be installed in seated firefighter and officer positions. Sedgwick County Fire District #1 has always strived to provide the personnel with proper safety equipment and the portable radios on each person would meet the NFPA guidelines of radio communications between interior attack crews and command officers. By purchasing the radios proposed, the department will be able to provide each responding firefighter with quality, clear and dependable portable radios with external noise reduction capability. The addition of the remote speaker microphones will provide clear communications while the fire personnel are wearing full protective clothing.
The Fire District is additionally seeking to replace the mobile radios in all response vehicles. The mobile radios are seven years old and no longer manufactured. These radios have reached the age where the manufacturer no longer has the parts for the radios. The biggest hurdle faced is the control heads. We cannot find replacement radio control heads except in the used marketplace. As these control heads fall in need of repair we are having to take radio control heads from the command vehicles to use until we can find a used replacement. The project being proposed will replace all of the mobile radios in the response vehicles to include the two radios attached to the mobile repeaters in the staff command vehicles.
The Fire District has been working in coordination with four radio vendors involving different manufacturers. The request is based on estimates from the vendors. The proposed purchase of 102 portable radios with speaker mics and truck chargers will cost $5,204 each for a total amount of $530,808. The cost to purchase 63 mobile truck radios with remote radios, control heads, microphones and antennas is $4,100 each for a total of $258,300. The total project cost is $789,108. If the grant is awarded, the Fire District will immediately start the trial test of various radio models and complete the purchase as soon as possible. The Fire District’s fleet mechanics, in coordination with the Sedgwick County Radio shop will install all of the truck chargers and work with the radio vendor to install and program the radios. Training of fire personnel on the use of the radios will be mandated of the successful radio vendor.
Grant Renewal: No
Never Applied: No (We have applied for an AFG grant before, but not for our radio replacement program).
Applied; not awarded: No
Grant Summary and Timeline:
Financial Considerations:
Grant period starts: 3/3/2017
Grant period ends: 3/3/2018
Source of funding
Grant: $717,371
Required Match: $71,737
Required Cash Match: $71,737
Required In-Kind Match: $0
Other funding:$0
TOTAL SOURCES: $789,108
Uses of funding (Note: Include any Required Matches in your totals)
Operational costs: $789,108
Personnel: $0
Contractual services: $0
Operational supplies: $0
Equipment:$789,108
Indirect administrative costs:$0
Capital projects cost:$0
TOTAL USES $789,108
Source of matching funds: Fire General Fund
Source of other funding: $0
Budget authority adjustment: If the grant is approved, additional budget authority in the amount of the grant award should be established in a new fund center in the
Personnel considerations: N/A
Expected measurable outcomes: The grant will allow the Fire District to replace outdated radios and reduce the likelyhood of radio failue in route or on the scene. This will enhance the ability of crews to arrive on scene, communicate on the scene in a safe and effective manner.
Requirements from Sedgwick County: If the grant is awarded, we will be required to report on status of project quarterly. Closing the grant will require Fire to show records of purchase and have all files and records available in case of an audit.
Alternatives:
Policy considerations:
Legal considerations: