With a critical $4.8M grant deadline only days away the fight to save Engine 17 would help families in neighboring Districts 4, 5 and 6.
EDITORIAL The day our family lost my mother it was a Long Beach Fire Engine that came to the rescue. The four-man-team assisted her inside the family kitchen three years ago this month.
Tuesday, Councilman Supernaw will recommend that the City Manager prepare an application for a SAFER grant that will allow Engine 17 to keep its lights on a little longer.
While the SAFER Grant would provide half the cost for an additional three years of operation, last week City Management recommended against applying for the grant whose deadline is fast approaching on March 12, 2021.
The City's rationale is that because of the grant requirement that a certain level of staffing is maintained, then the City could end up having to return the grant money entirely. Basically, City management expects enough budget shortfalls in the upcoming years that it will not have enough Fire personnel to satisfy the grant requirements.
In the face of those odds, Councilman Supernaw is determined to shoot for the funding anyway.
Three years ago, Engine 17 was one of the Fire Engines that was cut due to a tight City Budget. To his credit, Mayor Garcia did urge City Staff to find ways to save the engine.
The loss of the engine reverberated throughout east and central Long Beach, impacting response times. Engine 17's response area includes parts of the 90804 and 90815 zip codes. South of the Traffic Circle and butting Belmont Heights, the 90804 zip code is a rather densely populated part of town.
During the 2019 budget process, there was light at the end of the tunnel for Engine 17. After better than expected Measure A tax revenue, the restored engine was a meaningful relief.
It’s restoration cut city-wide response times by a full minute. Within Station 17's serviceable area, the response time cut was all the more dramatic at a minute and a half.
Engine 17 does more than put out fires. It’s official title is a Paramedic Assessment Engine Company. This distinction means that it requires 4 sworn Long Beach Fire Department personnel to operate.
This includes a Captain responsible for supervising the crew and an Engineer who doubles as both driver and operates the pump. There are two additional Firefighters on the four man team as well. One of the two, wears a second hat serving as both Firefighter and Paramedic.
To staff the four-man-engine 24 hours a day and 7 days a week sets the City’s taxpayers back $3.2 Million each year. Because the SAFER Grant is over a 3 year period, the total cost for keeping the engine fully staffed is $9.6 Million. Although the SAFER Grant has a $4.8 Million cap, if awarded, it would cover half the cost of operating Engine 17 for three additional years.
That put the fire engine's cost within the City's budget.
That’s meaningful help considering that Engine 17 was revived last year with only a two year shelf life. The City had no permanent plan to fund the engine beyond that period according to LB Post.
Thus, if awarded, the grant offers a three-year life extension.
Just like the engine's life on the streets, where every second matters, this grant funding opportunity is no different. The Grant application deadline is only days away.
While Councilman Supernaw can’t say what our odds are of winning the grant dollars, a closer look at the requirements shows that funds are weighted favoring Fire Stations that need the most help meeting national safety standards.
Basically, the benchmark for funding is based on a review of the past year’s fire report. Applicants who fall below standards for staffing and response time stand a better chance at funding.
Like most fires my mom's death was unexpected.
But it was a Long Beach Fire Engine and their four-person team that gave me a brief opportunity to hold my mother's still warm hand and say goodbye. Because, however short, every second truly counts.
From a son who lost his mother three years ago this month, I’m rooting for Engine 17.
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