CITY COUNCIL: Monterey County Grant Application for Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS)

City Council
Agenda Item Summary

Name: Consideration of a Resolution authorizing participation in a Monterey County grant application to the Office of Homeland Security for a Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS).

Description: On February 1, 2008, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security issued
memorandum 2008-02 (copy attached as Exhibit “A”), announcing the availability of a $2 million grant for the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) Program. The TENS grant program is intended to create emergency notification systems in counties that do not currently have such a system in place.

Overall Cost:
City Funds: $5,000 or less (buys three years of service)
Grant Funds: Unknown - still being determined by the County

Staff Recommendation: Approve the attached Resolution authorizing Carmel-by-the-Sea’s
Participation in the Monterey County’s application for TENS grant funds.

Important Considerations: An emergency notification system will enhance the city’s ability to manage disasters or city emergencies. These systems have proven their effectiveness for mass evacuation, and/or alerting the community of important information in the event of an emergency.

Decision Record: None

Reviewed by:

______________________________ _________________
Rich Guillen, City Administrator Date


CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
POLICE DEPARTMENT
STAFF REPORT
TO: MAYOR McCLOUD AND COUNCIL MEMBERS
THROUGH: RICH GUILLEN, CITY ADMINISTRATOR
FROM: GEORGE E. RAWSON, PUBLIC SAFETY DIRECTOR
DATE: MARCH 26, 2008
SUBJECT: CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN A MONTEREY COUNTY GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR A TELEPHONE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (TENS)
_________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED MOTION:
Adopt the Resolution.

BACKGROUND:
On February 1, 2008 the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security issued memorandum
2008-02 (copy attached), announcing the availability of a $2 million grant for the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) Program. The TENS grant program is intended to create emergency notification systems in counties without a current system in place.

Monterey County has invited all of its cities to join in applying for grant funds to procure a TENS system to be used by the County and participating cities. The County’s Office of Emergency Services will work with County Emergency Communications and local agencies to prepare and submit the grant. A TENS working group was established and includes representation from the Carmel Police Department. The County is asking each city to sign a nonbinding letter of intent to participate in this project. So far, nine of the 12 cities have agreed to participate and it is anticipated the remaining cities will also commit to participation.

The TENS working group agreed to have the existing Emergency Communications Users
Advisory Council (ECUAC) serve as the governance body to approve final system
specifications, vendor selection, operational policies and procedures, cost sharing formula, and other issues related to administering this project. Information concerning potential vendors and costs is still being finalized and reviewed. The formula for determining cost sharing will be based on population. Based on preliminary figures provided by the County, and depending on how many cities ultimately participate, it appears the cost to Carmel will be under $5,000.

STAFF REVIEW:
A telephone emergency notification system (TENS) will provide the ability to quickly
communicate to thousands of residents in a matter of minutes. The system is designed to provide flexibility in programming outbound messages. For example, if a citywide
emergency were to occur, an alert could be sent to every resident in the city. The alert might be an evacuation order or a warning to residents to remain in their homes until further notice. The system can also be programmed to call a select geographic zone or category of recipients. For example, a message can be sent to only those homes located in a tsunami zone, or to businesses only. The system also can be used to quickly notify city staff or volunteers, or other selected recipients to report to the Emergency Operations Center.

It is recommended that the City of Carmel participate in the TENS project. This is a
significant opportunity to acquire an invaluable tool for emergency preparedness, and if grant funding is obtained there will be a cost savings to the city.

FISCAL IMPACT:
The one-time cost to the City is estimated at $5,000 or less, depending on how many cities choose to participate. This covers a three-year period.

SUMMARY:
The proposal by Monterey County, which includes all cities in a TENS grant application, will be viewed favorably as a regional effort by the Office of Homeland Security. If the grant is awarded to Monterey County, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea will have unprecedented capability to communicate to all segments of the community.

OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY
GRANT MANAGEMENT MEMORANDUM
2008-02
Date: February 1, 2008
To: Operational Area Subgrantees
From: Grants Management Division
RE: Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) Program Program Background
Governor Schwarzenegger announced on December 28, 2007 the he is setting aside $2 million from the State's share of fiscal year 2007 Federal Department of Homeland Security grant funds for counties without telephone emergency notification systems to purchase and install them.

Following up on this direction, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security (OHS) is announcing the application process for the Telephone Emergency Notification System (TENS) Program. The TENS Program is a new initiative in the FY07 Homeland Security Grant Program (HSGP). The intent of the program is to create telephone emergency notification systems in counties that do not currently have or have plans for these systems.

Program Details
The TENS Program will provide a total of $2 million for telephone emergency notification systems for those California counties currently without the capability. Up to two years of maintenance costs will also be eligible for funded systems. OHS has identified the following thirteen counties as not currently having or having plans for a telephone emergency notification system: Colusa, Humboldt, Imperial, Kern, Kings, Mendocino, Plumas, San Benito, San Joaquin, Siskiyou, Tehama, Trinity and Tulare. Other counties that do not currently have or have plans for a telephone emergency notification system are eligible to submit an application for funding. These applications will be considered by OHS for eligibility. Eligibility
consideration will not be given to counties with current telephone emergency notification systems, or for upgrades or expansions, or to any other governmental entities.

Grant applications are to be submitted using the Financial Management Forms Workbook (FMFW). A governing body resolution and FY 07 HSGP grant assurances form must accompany the FMFW. The program details section in the FMFW must include the following information:
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
GOVERNOR
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
STATE CAPITOL
SACRAMENTO, CA 95814
(916) 324-8908 TELEPHONE
(916) 323-9633 FAX

(1) Cost of purchasing and installing a telephone emergency notification system.
(2) Cost of two years of maintenance for the telephone emergency notification system.
(3) Statement detailing compliance of planned system with the "Standards for Emergency Telephone Notification Systems" as prescribed by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), and adopted by the State Office of Emergency Services (OES). This document contains recommended technology standards, governance, and operating procedures for emergency telephone notification systems and can be found at the following link: http://www.nena.org/media/files/NENAopsETNSStandardFINAL060404.pdf
(4) Statement detailing plans for ensuring that the telephone emergency notification system will provide service to non-English speakers, taking into consideration demographic information for individual counties.
(5) For counties that are NOT listed in the thirteen counties above, a statement verifying that no current telephone emergency notification system is in place or planned with an identified funding source. OHS will be verifying eligibility in part by examining current allocation plans submitted to OHS by individual counties for homeland security grant funds.
Applications must be received at OHS by April 1, 2008.
The Grants Management Division will review and approve projects submitted that meet the criteria above and can be accommodated within the federal performance period. All grant rules applicable for the FY07 HSGP funds remain in effect for this program. For further assistance, please feel free to contact your program representative. Please contact OHS at (916) 324-8908 if you need help identifying
your program representative.

Sincerely,
Larry M. Davis
Deputy Director
Grants Management Division


CITY COUNCIL
CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA
RESOLUTION NO. 2008 -
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA AUTHORIZING PARTICIPATION IN A MONTEREY COUNTY GRANT APPLICATION TO THE OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY FOR A TELEPHONE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM (TENS)

WHEREAS, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security announced on December 28,
2007 the availability of grant funds to counties for purchasing telephone emergency
notification systems (TENS); and

WHEREAS, the County of Monterey has invited all cities to join the county in the grant application process; and

WHEREAS, the City of Carmel-by-the-Sea can enhance emergency preparedness by
participating in this countywide project; and

WHEREAS, the deadline for submitting a TENS grant application is April 1, 2008.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA DOES:

1. Approve the city of Carmel-by-the-Sea to participate in a countywide grant
application for a telephone emergency notification system.

2. Approve Proposition 172 Public Safety Augmentation funds in an amount not to
exceed $5,000 to be transferred from account #21-24021-0476 to the fire
department supplies and services account #72601 (Emergency Operations Center),
for payment of expenses relating to this project.

PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CARMEL-BY-THE-SEA on this 3rd day of April 2008 by the following roll call vote:

AYES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
NOES: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
ABSENT: COUNCIL MEMBERS:
SIGNED:

____________________________
Heidi Burch, City Clerk

ATTEST:

______________________
SUE McCLOUD, MAYOR