Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: John L. Maltbie, County Manager
Subject: La Honda Fire Volunteer Fire Brigade Project
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of County funds, not to exceed $500,000, to the La Honda Fire Brigade for improvements to Station 57 in La Honda, and authorizing the County Manager, or his designee, to prepare and execute the grant agreement.
BACKGROUND:
San Mateo County contracts with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFIRE) to provide fire protection services and serve as the San Mateo County Fire Department for the unincorporated areas of San Mateo County not served by a fire protection district.
The County and La Honda Fire Brigade (LHFB) cooperate under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) approved by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors (Resolution #069569, 07/22/2008), which authorizes LHFB to provide volunteer fire protection and emergency response services in cooperation with the San Mateo County Fire Department. The County’s MOU defines a service area of 250 square miles of the County’s rural mountains and south coast, and recognizes service of approximately 40 volunteer fire fighters including La Honda Fire Brigade and Kings Mountain Fire Brigade.
LHFB is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with an elected board of directors; its most recent by-laws were amended July 19, 2001. Formed by community members in the 1950s, local leadership and fundraising enabled the Brigade to purchase land and build the La Honda firehouse (Station 57) in 1968. Over the past 30 years, LHFB has completed a number of major remodels to Station 57, including the expansion of the current training room in 2007-2008.
DISCUSSION:
Station 57 consists of shared office space for LHFB volunteer fire fighters and a San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office sub-station, a training room, kitchen, two bathrooms, a second flood crawl space for storage, and a large garage (apparatus bay) which stores multiple large fire apparatus, tools, and other equipment. The LHFB has identified a number of deficiencies in the existing station. Neither a sprinkler system nor a dedicated fire hydrant currently exist to serve LHFB’s building or the significant County investment in fire protection apparatus and equipment currently utilized by LHFB. The training room is of insufficient size to accommodate large events for LHFB, and common practice is for all equipment and apparatus in the bay to be temporarily removed in order for large community events to take place within the apparatus bay itself.
The proposed funding will enable LHFB to complete the design, permitting, and construction of: 1) a water line extension, a dedicated fire hydrant, and a sprinkler system for Station 57; 2) a full second floor in place of the existing second floor crawl space storage area; 3) improvements to the existing training room, bathrooms, office space; 4) weatherproofing for the building exterior and roof; and 5) additional improvements for more efficient storage of fire equipment and tools.
LHFB responds to approximately 400 emergencies annually, and Brigade volunteers conduct a wide range of community training and outreach events, such as leading Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) courses. The improvement to Station 57 will enable LHFB to better accommodate trainings and events, and provide space for the operation of a Department Operations Center (DOC) in addition to the Sheriff’s sub-station and LHFB volunteers. The Station 57 improvements, particularly the addition of space on the second floor and the remodeling of the training room and bathrooms, will also benefit community groups which hold meetings at Station 57, such as the Community Service Area 7 Advisory Committee, and organizations like Puente de la Sur, a nonprofit adjacent to Station 57, which partner on events utilizing Station 57’s kitchen and meeting room. The modernization of Station 57 will increase day-to-day operational efficiency and provide enhanced capabilities during emergency activations.
La Honda Fire Brigade will contribute $100,000 in Brigade funds, and any additional funds that may be necessary to complete the Station 57 improvement project. With approval of $500,000 in funding from the County, LHFB intends to begin design and permitting in Spring 2018 and complete the improvements to Station 57 by June 2019.
The attached resolution authorizes the County Manager, or his designee, to prepare and execute a grant agreement with the La Honda Fire Brigade for the project described in this memorandum and subject to the terms described in the resolution. The agreement will be managed by the County Manager’s designee.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
La Honda Fire Brigade funds contributed |
$100,000 |
|
Percent of improvements completed within budget by June 2019 |
100% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient funds available in the County’s Fire Protection Budget for a County contribution of $500,000. Funds for this specific project were included in the FY 2017-18 Adopted Budget.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Letter from Ari Delay, Fire Chief, La Honda Fire Brigade, regarding La Honda Fire Brigade Fire Station Remodel
2. Resolution