COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

AREA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

DATE:

July 10, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

August 1, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Don Horsley, Office of Emergency Services Area Coordinator

SUBJECT:

Amendment One to the Agreement with the City and County of San Francisco for Distribution of the Fiscal Year 2005 Urban Area Security Initiative Regional Funds to the County of San Mateo.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the President of the Board of Supervisors to execute Amendment One to the Agreement with the City and County of San Francisco for the allocation of Fiscal Year 2005 Urban Area Security Initiative (FY05 UASI) grant program funding to the County of San Mateo, increasing the distribution amount by $402,200, from $750,000 to $1,152,200.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 7: Maintain and enhance the public safety of all residents and visitors.

This grant enhances the ability to prevent, deter, respond to and recover from threats and incidents of terrorism as well as natural disasters.

Performance Measure(s):

Measure

FY 2005-06
Actual

FY 2006-07
Projected

Number of incidents responded to by OES staff

80

82

Percent of Regional Area response planning commenced and in progress

10%

45%

BACKGROUND:

In 2004, the City and County of San Francisco Office of Emergency Services disbursed $1,500,000 to the County of San Mateo, as part of the FY04 UASI grant. Also initiated under the grant, the Golden Gate UASI Task Force (GGUTF) was formed for the purpose of regional planning, training, and conducting preparedness exercises between the Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo operational areas, in regards to terrorism and natural disaster. GGUTF is also a participant in the development of a new Bay Area Regional Emergency Coordination Plan (RECP), which includes 10 Bay Area counties, State OES Region II, and cities of Oakland, San Jose, and San Francisco. RECP’s mission is to integrate the response between participating counties and improve utilization and distribution of resources.

On April 4, 2006, your Board adopted Resolution No. 067912, entering into an Agreement with the City and County of San Francisco for distribution of $750,000 in FY05 UASI funds to the County of San Mateo. The Agreement provides authority and funding in which four (4) San Mateo Operational Area staff were hired to work side by side with San Francisco’s Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. The positions filled were: 1) a Sheriff’s Lieutenant, who serves as team lead; 2) an OES District Coordinator; 3) a Public Health Physician, under the supervision of Dr. Scott Morrow; and 4) a Fire Battalion Chief. The assigned County personnel will maintain their position with their San Mateo County agency while assigned to the GGUTF.

DISCUSSION:

The proposed Amendment will provide $402,200 in funding for training costs, including instructors, equipment, backfill, and overtime costs associated with two (2) programs. OES requested additional funding fully understanding the regional responsibilities to our neighbors in San Francisco as well.

The first program, Rescue Systems One and Two, allows training for up to 110 County fire service personnel. The program will be managed by the San Mateo County Training Officers under the direction of the San Mateo County Fire Chiefs’ Association. The total reimbursement for this program is $307,800.

The San Mateo Fire Chiefs’ Association recognized a need for enhanced confined space rescue training during Hurricane Katrina. All Federal UASR (Urban Search and Rescue) Teams were deployed to the Gulf Coast. If San Mateo County would have experienced a seismic event, the entire County’s confined space rescue personnel were out of the State. This training would raise the County’s standard to where there would be redundant rescue personnel trained.

The second program, Managing Crowds in a Disaster, allows up to 60 law enforcement officers from San Mateo County, representing municipal police agencies as well as the Sheriff’s Office to participate. The program will be managed by the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services and Homeland Security. The total reimbursement for this program is $94,400.

The law enforcement training is necessary not only for WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) incidents, but lends itself to preparations for Avian Flu issues stemming from securing vaccination sites with highly trained personnel. Understanding that there may not be as many people on duty, this training will enable law enforcement officers to protect a site with minimal staffing needs. San Mateo County has not trained for crowd control since Y2K as a County contingent.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution and Amendment One as to legal form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no specific cost incurred with the approval of Amendment One, which increases the FY05 UASI maximum distribution amount by $402,200, from $750,000 to $1,152,200.

The County has no obligation to use County funds to pay for these programs, and the County’s agreement to provide the programs is contingent on City’s agreement to provide funding. There should be no impact on the County, OES, or Sheriff’s Office net General Fund cost.