Title
Report regarding a resolution authorizing acceptance of a grant from the Urban Area Security Initiative in the amount of $205,000 for the purchase of specialized firefighting equipment and transport vehicle designed to address electrical vehicle fires, amending the Fire Department's operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27 via Budget Amendment Number 27.005, and authorizing the City Manager or authorized designee to enter into an agreement with the City and County of San Francisco Urban Area Security Initiative to accept fiscal year 2024 grant funds. (Devin Flannery, Deputy Fire Chief)
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RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution accepting a grant from the Urban Area Security Initiative in the amount of $205,000 for the purchase of specialized firefighting equipment and transport vehicle designed to address electrical vehicle fires, amending the Fire Department's operating budget for fiscal year 2026-27 via Budget Amendment Number 27.005, and authorizing the City Manager or authorized designee to enter into an agreement with the City and County of San Francisco Urban Area Security Initiative to accept fiscal year 2024 grant funds.
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BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In 2025, Fire Department personnel applied for specialized firefighting equipment and a transport vehicle, designed to address fires in electrical vehicles, through the Urban Area Security Initiatives Grant Program (UASI) focusing on the program's priorities of addressing emerging public safety threats.
Fires occurring in electrical vehicles have become more prominent as the vehicles themselves increase as part of the overall car volume within San Mateo County and South San Francisco. These fires have proven to be more difficult to suppress due to their design and unique hazard, including large lithium-ion battery components encased in hardened steel. Traditional firefighting methods, using current firefighting equipment, are not effective, as the...
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