To: Board of Directors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: FY 24 Assistance to Firefighters Grant - SCBA
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
RATIFY the Fire District’s grant application; and APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to apply for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program, in an amount not to exceed $1,500,000, for the purchase of self-contained breathing apparatus equipment. (90% Federal, 10% District General Operating Fund match)
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total cost for the Assistance to Firefighters Grant Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) grant project is $1,650,000. The maximum federal award is $1,500,000 with a minimum 10% local agency cost sharing requirement of $150,000
The cost for the total SCBA project is estimated to be $3,900,000. This grant funded portion would cover less than half of the total costs of replacing all SCBA equipment. The District would need approximately $2,250,000 from other funding sources to fund the remaining purchase and replacement over subsequent fiscal years.
BACKGROUND:
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program objectives are to provide critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, outfit responders with compliant personal protective equipment to increase responders’ physical protection against hazards during incident response, provide funding to retrofit or modify facilities to protect personnel from known health hazards, acquire emergency response vehicles, design and implement health, wellness and resiliency programs that prepare responders for incident response, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience. The grant application deadline was December 20, 2024, which required the District to submit the application before gaining Board approval.
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) provide an autonomous supply of breathable gas in atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life or health, such as those that occur while fighting fires. The SCBA is comprised of four parts: regulator, cylinder, back plate and harness, and face piece. This equipment must comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Contra Costa County Fire Protection District’s SCBA equipment is aging out of NFPA compliance and needs to be replaced.
The purpose of the AFG grant project application is to replace SCBAs, additional air cylinders, and other supplies on front-line apparatus to maintain operational readiness. The remaining purchase and replacement over subsequent fiscal years would complete equipment replacement on the front-line apparatus and support the training division and academy needs, live fire training at the District’s site at MOTCO, along with a 10% reserve cache for maintenance needs and annual testing would not be covered by this grant funding. Due to changing conditions in the fire manufacturing space, along with price increases and continued supply chain concerns, the cost of the project is currently an estimate. If awarded, subsequent approval will be requested of the Board for purchasing authority with detailed actual costs.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this action is not approved, the District will rescind its grant application with FEMA. The District would not be able to pursue grant funding for this critical safety equipment.