PURPOSE:

To request City Council authorization for the City Manager to accept $624,511 in Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Grant funds for the Fire and Police Departments, and amend the Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-06 Budget by appropriating funds.

BACKGROUND:

The Federal Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Office for Domestic Preparedness (ODP), is providing financial assistance to selected urban areas through the FY 2005 Urban Areas Security Initiative (UASI) Grant Program to address the unique equipment, training, planning, exercise, and operational needs of large urban areas, and to assist them in building an enhanced and sustainable capacity to prevent, respond to, and recover from threats or acts of terrorism.  The funds are being granted directly to states with the requirement that the state subgrant no less than eighty percent of its total grant award to the selected urban areas.  The City of Los Angeles and its surrounding communities, was identified as one of these urban areas and has been awarded grant funding in the amount of $39,233,545 to be administered through the State of California. 

DISCUSSION:

In partnership with a multitude of area cities and public agencies, the City of Los Angeles formed a Los Angeles Urban Area (LAUA) working group, to asses the needs of the region, identify key projects and allocate the grant funds accordingly.  As a result of this, the City of Burbank was identified to receive grant funding in several categories including Training, Hazardous Materials (Haz Mat) , Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) and Urban Area Prevention, for a total of $624,511.

With a great deal of grant funding from prior grants going towards securing equipment for area Police and Fire Departments, the LAUA working group determined a need for a greater emphasis in the area of training for FY 2005.  Nearly half of the 2005 UASI grant funds awarded to Burbank are earmarked for training.  Applicable expenses include registration fees for ODP approved courses and all related overtime and backfill expenses.  This allows both the Police and Fire Departments to send their personnel for necessary training without reducing the number of officers on the streets or taking fire apparatus out of service.  Other items approved through this grant are UHF and VHF radios used to support a region-wide interoperability effort, personal protective gear for the Urban Search & Rescue (USAR) team and additional equipment related to terrorism prevention and incident management.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This is a reimbursement grant.  At this time, Staff is requesting that City Council accept the grant and appropriate from revenue account 001.ND000.48010.1085 (UASI - Urban Area Security � Federal) to the following: $117,721 to Fire Department account number 001.FD02A.70011.0000.16131, $187,200 to Fire Department Account number 001.FD02A.60007.0000.16131, $220,000 to Police Department account number 001.PD01A.70011.0000.16131, $99,590 to Police Department Account number 001.PD01A.60007.0000.16131  to facilitate grant expenditures. 

This grant will not require matching funds. Recurring costs for the approved equipment items will be minimal and can be absorbed within the Departments� existing budget.  It will take approximately thirty days for the State to reimburse the City of Los Angeles.  It will then take approximately thirty days for the City of Los Angeles to reimburse the City of Burbank. 

RECOMMENDATION:

Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the resolution accepting the grant and amending the FY 2005-2006 Budget by appropriating the funds in the amount of $624,511.

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