TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Mike Niblock, Fire Chief
SUBJECT:
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2022 Oregon Fire Service Capacity Program Grant with the Office of the State Fire Marshall.
Ward(s):All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Result Areas - Safe Community.
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SUMMARY:
summary
In 2021, the Oregon Legislature appropriated General Fund dollars to the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) for distribution to Oregon Fire Agencies to provide resources to augment firefighting and prevention staffing. Salem Fire protects the City of Salem and plays a pivotal role in preventing and suppressing wildfires. The Oregon Capacity Program Grant is intended for fire agencies to encourage an increase in permanent local firefighters and prevention staffing.
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ISSUE:
Shall City Council authorize the City Manager to apply for and accept, if awarded, the 2022 Oregon Fire Service Capacity Program (OFSCP) Grant with the OSFM to provide three years of funding for a Program Manager II within the Salem Fire Department, with a gradual increase of matching funds required of the City over the three-year grant period?
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Authorize the City Manager to apply for and accept, if awarded, the 2022 OFSCP Grant with the OSFM to provide three years of funding for a Program Manager II within the Salem Fire Department, with a gradual increase of matching funds required of the City over the three-year grant period.
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
The Salem Fire Department has found that we need to increase the personnel under the Emergency Manager within the Emergency Management Program. The OFSCP Grant will allow SFD to hire one full-time permanent fire prevention personnel for a minimum of three years, focusing on general fire and life safety with an emphasis on wildfire preparedness, prevention, and education, including structural wildfire assessments.
OFSCP Grant funds may be used for full-time Firefighters and Fire Prevention personnel and administrative costs of up to 10% of the grant award. The City will be responsible for matching a percentage of the grant funds being used for salary, benefits, and associated personnel costs, with the anticipated matching funds being as follows:
• Year 1 (2023-2024) - 10% match requirement
o City of Salem Commitment $15,356.30
o OSFM Commitment $138,206.72
• Year 2 (2024-2025) - 25% match requirement
o City of Salem Commitment $40.726.12
o OSFM Commitment $122,178.37
• Year 3 (2025-2026) - 50% match requirement
o City of Salem Commitment $86,401.85
o OSFM Commitment $86,401.85
The OFSCP Grant is for a 3-year grant period, so in year four (2026-2027) and beyond the City will be entirely financially responsible for the additional fire prevention personnel. This financial responsibility is anticipated to be $183,336.19 in fiscal year 2026-27.
The OFSCP Grant application requires a Letter of Commitment from the City that the City will fulfill its grant match obligations during the three-year grant period. OFSCP Grant applications will be prioritized for those applications containing a good faith statement that the fire agency will continue to fund positions beyond the three years of the grant, using other funding.
BACKGROUND:
The Salem Fire Department currently has one Emergency Manager with no Deputy Emergency Manager or support staff to assist and conduct fire prevention. With the impact of global warming and the consistent increase of wildland fires within our community, we must increase support in emergency preparedness and fire prevention, which is a focus of the Emergency Management Program. For a city of our size, the Emergency Manager should have up to four staff managing the Emergency Management Program.
MIKE NIBLOCK
FIRE CHIEF
Attachments:
1. 2022 Oregon Fire Service Capacity Program “OFSCP” Application Manual