Agenda Item # 5
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
02/08/11
Agenda Report # 609
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program
INITIATED BY: Columbus Fire and EMS Department
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application, and if
approved, accept a grant in the amount of $120,000, or that approved amount,
from the 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program (Fire Prevention and
Safety Grant) and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by like amount.
Backgound: Funds will be requested from the 2010 Assistance to Firefighters
Grant Program to purchase specialized smoke alarms for deaf and hearing
impaired citizens of Columbus.
In Muscogee County, there are approximately 22,446 hearing impaired citizens.
This hearing impairment ranges from mild to profoundly deaf. Considering that
most deadly fires occur while people are sleeping, the risk becomes greater
that the hearing impaired are much less likely to hear the high frequency tone
of a smoke alarm detector with sufficient volume to wake them up in the event
of a fire. The Columbus Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services grant
request will be for the purchase of specialized monitors, which will be
provided to low-income, hearing-impaired citizens, and will alert them in the
event of fires. Controlled scientific tests have shown that special low
frequency vibrating sound patterns are effective in waking people with mild to
moderately severe hearing loss. In one study, almost half of the subjects slept
through a standard smoke alarm detector signal but nine out of ten subjects
tested woke up to the 520 Hz square wave vibrating signal (both signals were
presented at the exact same volume level and duration).
Currently, the Fire Prevention Division has several programs in place to aid
the citizens of Columbus, Georgia. The department has a smoke alarm program
established where any citizen can call and request a smoke alarm and the
department will send a fire truck to install it for the resident. The
department also teaches fire safety to many assisted living facilities in
Columbus. The Fire Prevention Division conducted over 350 fire safety programs
in 2010. To date, the division has conducted over 450 life safety inspections,
issued 386 permits and installed 112 smoke alarms. This program will assist
those citizens who are hearing impaired and will greatly enhance our efforts in
reducing fire injuries and deaths in Columbus.
Analysis: The requested funding will be utilized to purchase 1,800 specialized
hearing impaired smoke detectors ($117,000) and training/education materials
($3,000).
Financial Considerations: The grant is for $120,000 and requires a 20% cash
match ($24,000). The required match of $24,000 will be funded through the
General Fund Contingency Fund
Legal Considerations: The Columbus Consolidated Government is eligible to
receive these funds. If awarded and accepted, the City will be obligated to
comply with the terms of the grant contract.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: There will be no annual fiscal
impact from this grant.
Recommendation/Action: Authorize the City Manager to submit, and if approved,
accept a grant of $120,000 from the 2010 Assistance to Firefighters Grant
Program and amend the budget through increasing the Multi-Governmental Fund by
$120,000 or the actual amount funded.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AND IF APPROVED,
ACCEPT A GRANT OF $120,000, OR AS OTHERWISE AWARDED, FROM UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY 2010 ASSISTANCE TO FIREFIGHTERS GRANT PROGRAM,
OF WHICH 20% ($24,000) IS A REQUIRED CASH MATCH, AND TO AMEND THE
MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY THE AMOUNT AWARDED. THESE FUNDS WILL BE UTILIZED TO
PURCHASE SPECIALIZED SMOKE/FIRE DETECTORS FOR LOW INCOME HEARING IMPAIRED
CITIZENS OF MUSCOGEE COUNTY.
WHEREAS, there are approximately 22,446 hearing impaired citizens in
Muscogee County; and,
WHEREAS, hearing impaired people are much less likely to hear the high
frequency tone of a smoke alarm detector with sufficient volume?if they hear it
at all?to wake them up in the event of a fire; and,
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Homeland Security has
allocated grant funds through the 2010 Assistance to Firefighter?s Grant
Program; and,
WHEREAS, the Columbus Department of Fire and EMS has developed a grant
proposal to purchase specialized smoke/fire detectors for hearing impaired
citizens of Columbus; and,
WHEREAS, the equipment will be utilized to assist in reducing the risk
of fire injury or fatalities; and,
WHEREAS, the grant is an 80/20 proposal with a federal share of $96,000
and a local share of $24,000 for a total of $120,000; and,
WHEREAS, this grant proposal requires a 20% matching funds ($24,000)
which will be funded from the contingency fund.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES AS
FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to submit an application
and, if approved, accept an Assistance to Firefighters Grant of $120,000 with
matching funds of $24,000 from the United States Department Of Homeland
Security and amend the Multi-Governmental Fund by $120,000 or the actual amount
funded.
________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia
held the _______ day of ___________, 2011 and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of _______ members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Baker voting __________.
Councilor Barnes voting __________.
Councilor Davis voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Thomas voting __________.
Councilor Turner-Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
_______________________________ _____________________________
Tiny B. Washington, Clerk of Council Teresa Pike Tomlinson, Mayor
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