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April 22, 2003 <br /> <br />03 - 157 - Adoption of a resolution supporting a request to the Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency (FEMA) to provide $12,396,994 in Federal Homeland Security <br />Funds to support the construction of a new Emergency Operations Communications <br />Center (EOCC) in the City of Portsmouth. <br /> <br />The City's share would be $4,132,331 or 25% of the total funding from Homeland <br />Security Funds. The City would need to expand an additional $1,981,389 for <br />new E-911 dispatch and communications equipment, but federal assistance <br />is being requested for these expenditures as well. <br /> <br />Recommendation: <br /> <br />· Adoption of a resolution supporting a request to the Federal Emergency <br />Management Agency (FEMA) to provide $12,396,994 in Federal Homeland Security <br />Funds to support the construction of a new Emergency Operations Communications <br />Center (EOCC) in the City of Portsmouth. <br /> <br />Purpose and Need: <br /> <br />· The City is in need of a new, updated location for the dispatch of emergency Police, <br />Fire or Rescue Services to its citizens, businesses, the Virginia Port Authority, the <br />military and other sister cities in Hampton Roads in accordance with mutual aid <br />agreements. <br /> <br />· Securing these grant funds would allow the City to have a facility constructed that <br />would house both dispatch and emergency operations in one location as well as <br />updating equipment with the newest technology. <br /> <br />Financial Impact: <br /> <br />· The total cost for the new Emergency Operations Communications Center (EOCC) <br />is $18,510,714. The Federal share is $12,396,996 or 75%; the City's share is <br />$4,132,331 or 25% in Homeland Security Funds. The City will need to expend an <br />additional $1,981,389 of the total cost for new E-911 dispatch and communications <br />equipment. This includes training of the employees on the new equipment. Federal <br />funding is being requested to assist with the new equipment costs through the <br />Portsmouth Congressional Delegation. <br /> <br /> Motion by Mr. Pitts, and seconded by Mr. Whitehurst, to adopt the following <br />resolution, and was adopted by the following vote: <br /> <br />"A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A GRANT <br />APPLICATION TO THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY IN THE <br />AMOUNT OF $12,396,994 TO SUPPORT CONSTRUCTION OF A NEW <br />EMERGENCY OPERATIONS COMMUNICATIONS CENTER FOR THE CITY OF <br />PORTSMOUTH. <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, the City of Portsmouth's current Emergency Operations and 911 <br />Dispatch Centers are located in an area below sea level and are protected from flooding <br />by the nearby Elizabeth River by a seawall only 8.5 feet above sea level; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, because of their location, these two critical and essential operations <br />are vulnerable to flooding and elimination from a Category III hurricane or from a <br />terrorist attack; and <br /> <br /> WHEREAS, in the event of the failure of the 911 Dispatch Center, the City would <br />be unable to dispatch emergency police, fire, or rescue services to its residents and <br />businesses, including the City's large military facilities and the Virginia Port Authority, as <br />well as to other Hampton Roads localities with whom the City of Portsmouth has mutual <br />aid agreements; and <br /> <br /> <br />