COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

AREA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

DATE:

November 27, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

December 12, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Sheriff Don Horsley, Office of Emergency Services Area Coordinator

SUBJECT:

MOU with the City and County of San Francisco for Distribution of Additional Fiscal Year 2003 Urban Area Security Initiative Regional Funds to the County of San Mateo.

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Sheriff to execute an Agreement with the City and County of San Francisco for the distribution of $178,000 to the County of San Mateo as part of the Fiscal Year 2003 Urban Area Security Initiative (FY03 UASI) grant program.

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 2003, the City and County of San Francisco was designated by the California Office of Homeland Security (OHS) as one of 10 urban areas eligible to apply for funding for the FY 2003 Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) program. As a grant recipient, San Francisco is authorized to contract with other local government agencies for the allocation of grant funding. San Francisco’s FY03 UASI grant will expire on December 31, 2006, and their staff has advised of the availability of $178,000 in grant funds which were initially allocated to other counties but which have not been fully expended. Any unexpended funds will be returned to the State.

San Francisco has offered a portion of the previously unexpended FY03 UASI funds to San Mateo County Sheriff’s Area Office of Emergency Services (OES). Through partners in law enforcement, fire services, and in conjunction with County Purchasing Division, OES has developed a plan for expenditure of the funds.

DISCUSSION:

With a population of 760,000 the County of San Mateo has the following public safety resources to respond to any disaster: 1250 Law Enforcement Officers, 850 Firefighters, and 700 Public Works personnel. As noted in the recent Grand Jury report, the County also understands the need to train and equip our residents in the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) system. This training insures that residents are ready to respond to neighborhood issues during an event. Along with the training provided by government we feel it is necessary to properly equip the CERT members with adequate safety equipment to protect the CERT Responder from being injured while responding.

Using the additional funds from San Francisco, it is OES’ intent to offer a fully functional CERT backpack equipped with: flashlight, gloves, safety helmet, safety goggles, vest (which identifies the member as a CERT trained responder, and a pry bar to initiate light rescues). Once a resident receives the approved 20 hour training course, the City of residence will be able to issue the CERT kit to the graduated and qualified CERT member. All CERT kits will be issued to the host City who will be responsible to issue the kits to the members.

A metal storage container will need to be purchased to keep the kits safe until the graduating CERT member is eligible to receive the kit. The storage container will be located at the San Carlos Airport.

Funding will also include a supply of Amateur Radios to be distributed to local service agencies such as food banks, volunteer shelters, and other non profits that partner with government during an emergency. Approximately $70,000 will be used to form a strategic training cache for firefighting equipment designed to train Firefighters in Confined Space Rescue.

A Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with San Francisco is currently being developed which will provide authority and funding to expend the $178,000 FY03 UASI funds in the manner described above. Due to the upcoming holidays and the short time period remaining until the grant deadline, it is requested that the Board grant the Sheriff the authority to sign this MOU, so that the grant timelines are complied with. As with the other annual UASI MOU’s which the Board has already executed, the FY03 MOU will be reviewed by County Counsel, and a copy will be provided to the County Manager for his review, prior to execution. Once approved, the MOU will be submitted to the City and County of San Francisco for approval and final execution.

County Counsel has reviewed and approved the attached Resolution as to legal form.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no net cost incurred by this action. The one-time $178,000 of UASI funds will be expended on one-time purchases of value to County first responder agencies, and to citizen CERT team members. There should be no impact on the Net County Cost.