HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 2m: Supplemental appropriation for replacing Fire Department Rdios'gna7r, ;-4
STAFF REPORT
Fire Department
DATE: August 7, 2012
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tony L. Trabbie, Fire Chief /-(
By: Kurt Norwood, Deputy Fire Chief / Operations
Yvonne Yeung, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT: APPROVE A SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION NOT TO EXCEED
$18,500 FOR THE UPFRONT COST OF REPLACING FIRE
DEPARTMENT RADIOS THAT WILL BE REIMBURSED THROUGH THE
2009 STATE HOMELAND SECURITY GRANT PROGRAM.
Recommended Action: Approve
SUMMARY
It is recommended the City Council approve a supplemental appropriation in an amount
not to exceed $18,500 and authorize the purchase of two (2) P25- compliant UHF and
two (2) Bendix King VHF portable radios for the Fire Department. The funds utilized for
this purchase will be reimbursed through the 2009 State Homeland Security Grant
Program.
BACKGROUND
Since the terrorist attacks of 9 -11, Los Angeles County fire and law enforcement
agencies have been proactive in striving for excellent county -wide emergency scene
communications among public safety agencies. Part of the plan is to have all radios be
P25 - compliant and have the capability to meet the recommendations of the Los Angeles
County fire and law agencies' Radio Tactical Interoperability Communication Plan
(TICP) for common communication.
DISCUSSION
P25 is a set of standards for digital radio communications that allows public safety
agencies to communicate with other agencies and mutual aid response teams in
emergencies. Federal mandates, the Interagency Communications Interoperability
System (ICIS), and Verdugo Fire Communications are moving towards
P25 - compliant repeater sites and radios. By January 2014, it is estimated that all
mobile and portable UHF radios that are not P25 - compliant, or those that do not have
the ability to be P25 - compatible in Los Angeles County, will become obsolete.
Fire Department Radios
August 7, 2012
Page 2 of 2
Currently, the Fire Department has two (2) UHF and two (2) Bendix King VHF portable
radios that are not compatible to meet P25 requirements and cannot receive certain
mandated program updates, thus making them obsolete in 2014.
In June 2012, the Fire Department learned that certain monies from the 2009 State
Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) were available for re- distribution to
agencies that had specific communications needs. The Fire Department applied for the
grant funding for the replacement of those four (4) radios and some other future
communications projects.
On July 16, 2012, the Fire Department was awarded up to $18,500 in grant funding
through the 2009 State Homeland Security Grant Program for the replacement of the
four (4) soon -to -be obsolete radios. A stipulation of the grant award is that the project
must be completed by September 30, 2012. Since this unanticipated grant opportunity
became available after the City Council adoption of the Fiscal Year 2012 -13 budget,
funds are unavailable for the upfront cost of the four (4) radios in the Fire Department's
budget as adopted.
FISCAL IMPACT
The request for appropriation for the upfront cost of this purchase is not to exceed
$18,500, and funds are available in the Equipment Replacement Fund balance to cover
the cost of this purchase. Once the acquisition is completed, the City will be reimbursed
through the 2009 State Homeland Security Grant Program for the cost of the radios, not
to exceed $18,500. No local match is required for this grant.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended the City Council authorize a supplemental appropriation in an
amount not to exceed $18,500 for the upfront cost of replacing two (2) P25 - complaint
UHF and two (2) Bendix King VHF portable radios for the Fire Department. The City will
be reimbursed up to $18,500 through the 2009 State Homeland Security Grant
Program.
Approved:
Dominic La retto
City Manager