TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the State of California Office of Emergency Services, to receive funding to update the Long Beach Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness Area Plan in the amount of $8,000 for a period of one year; and increase appropriations in the Health Fund (SR 130) in the Department of Health and Human Services (HE) by $8,000. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The State of California Office of Emergency Services (State) has recently awarded the City $8,000 to support an update to the Long Beach Hazardous Materials Emergency Preparedness (HMEP) Area Plan. These funds will be used to support existing staff time, equipment, and printing expenses related to the completion of the HMEP Area Plan update.
The purpose of the Long Beach HMEP Area Plan is to assist agencies and businesses in their pre-emergency planning and emergency response roles related to chemical releases.
It also provides the public with information about facilities that pose a threat or potential hazard to the community's health and safety. The HMEP Area Plan is designed to assist in the prevention or mitigation of the damage to the health and safety of persons and the environment from the release or threatened release of hazardous materials into the workplace or environment.
The HMEP Area Plan will provide procedures for the effective and economical allocation of resources during a hazardous materials emergency. The plan will focus on four phases of emergency management: preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. It will also establish an emergency organization, assign tasks, specify policy and general procedures and provide coordination of planning for all phases of emergency planning for a hazardous materials incident or emergency. The plan will coordinate input from all agencies, facility operators and personnel associated with the Long Beach Certified Unified Program Area for hazardous materials. The agencies include the Long Beach Fire Department Disaster Management Division, the Long Beach Police Department, the City Manager's Office, Risk Management, the Water Department, the Long Beach Unified School District and large quantity generators in the city.
This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna F. Gwin on November 4,2005 and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on November 7,2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council approval is requested on November 15, 2005, as services under this agreement began on October 1, 2005.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total amount of the agreement is $8,000 from October 1,2005 through September 30, 2006. An appropriation increase is requested in the same amount in the recommended action. The grant requires a $2,000 match from the Health Fund, which will be met by allocating existing budgeted resources toward the completion of the plan.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES