The Fairfield Fire Department recently received notification of award for its Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant application.  Due to the size and nature of the grant, the Fire Department is seeking authorization from City Council to accept and implement the grant award. The grant award is the primary means to operate a second company out of Fire Station 35. The additional company would serve as a valuable addition to the city’s most vulnerable district, which has the slowest response times and is most isolated for back up response from other stations. Once completed, the intention is to move the 7^th company to Station 36 off Business Center Drive.

The Fire Department was awarded $3,350,290 over 36 months for salary and benefit costs to hire five new Firefighter/Paramedics. During the grant performance period, the Fire Department is required to maintain a roster with the additional positions and to fill any vacancies within six months. There is no agency match or position cost limit associated with the award. However, to fully implement the grant and deploy a 7^th company, the Fire Department would require a budget adjustment for three Fire Captain promotions and six Fire Engineer promotions as well as operating costs associated with the additional staffing.

The grant award is for $3,350,290 over 36 months. To move forward with implementing the grant and appropriate deployment model, if awarded, the City’s cost to operate a 7^th company would be approximately $596,000 in Year One, $419,000 in Year Two, and $433,000 in Year Three. The estimates reflect the cost of all limited-term promotions as well as operating costs associated with new personnel and deploying an additional unit. Projected costs in Year 1 are greater than subsequent years based on one-time costs for station modification and capital equipment purchases. The additional costs not covered by the grant will be funded by the General Fund (Fund 011, Division and Responsibility Code 55002) and will require a budget adjustment in the amount of $468,000 for fiscal year 2021-2022.

Although the Fire Department must maintain staffing levels during the 36-month performance period, the City is under no obligation to maintain any of the added positions or promotions beyond the performance period of the grant.

The council could choose not to authorize award acceptance and required budget adjustments, therefore not allowing the Fire Department to proceed with deployment of a 7^th company.

Taylor Armour, Senior Management Analyst

(707) 428-7593

tarmour@fairfield.ca.gov