REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Travis Hopkins, City Manager
VIA: Eric McCoy, Fire Chief
PREPARED BY: Kevin Justen, Senior Management Analyst
Subject:
title
Approve and accept the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant; authorize the Fire Chief and Chief Financial Officer to execute documents; and approve appropriation of funds
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Statement of Issue:
The Huntington Beach Fire Department applied for the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant and was awarded $360,593.63 for hazardous materials specialist training, cancer screening, and confined space rescue training for sworn fire personnel. City Council is requested to approve and accept the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant and authorize the Fire Chief and Chief Financial Officer to execute the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant documents.
Financial Impact:
The FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant award totals $360,593.63 and includes a matching requirement of $36,059.37 for a total project budget of $396,653. There are sufficient funds available within the current Fire Department budget to meet the matching requirement, and no additional appropriations are requested.
Recommended Action:
recommendation
A) Approve and accept the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant awarded to the City of Huntington Beach; and
B) Authorize the Fire Chief and Chief Financial Officer as the officials to execute and sign for the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant award, agreement, amendments, and extensions; and
C) Approve the appropriation of grant revenues and expenditures in the amount of $360,593.64.
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Alternative Action(s):
Do not approve and direct staff accordingly.
Analysis:
The Huntington Beach Fire Department (“HBFD”) applied for and was awarded the FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant (“AFG 2024 Grant”). As stated in the AFG 2024 Notice of Funding Opportunity, the objectives of the AFG Program are to provide critically needed resources that equip and train emergency personnel to recognized standards, enhance operational efficiencies, foster interoperability, and support community resilience.
The Fire Department received an award letter dated September 23, 2025, stating that the hazardous materials specialist training, cancer screening, and confined space rescue training for sworn fire personnel in the grant application received a funding award of $360,593.63. There is a 10% non-federal matchings funds requirement of $36,059.37. There are sufficient funds available in the FY 2025/26 HBFD operating budget to cover the 10% non-federal matching requirement. Therefore, the total project amount is $396,653.00.
The Huntington Beach Fire Department’s project objective for the AFG 2024 Grant is to provide hazardous materials specialist training, cancer screening, and confined space rescue training to increase response and rescue skill expertise levels for haz-mat responses and confined space rescues, and to prioritize the wellness of the department’s firefighters. HBFD was previously awarded AFG 2022 and 2023 grant funds for cancer screening physicals. This funding assists HBFD in proactively addressing the health and wellness needs of the professional firefighter.
Environmental Status:
This action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment) and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
Strategic Plan Goal:
Goal 2 - Fiscal Stability, Strategy A - Consider new revenue sources and opportunities to support the City's priority initiatives and projects.
Attachment(s):
1. FY 2024 Assistance to Firefighters Grant Notice of Award Letter