2009-10-02 - Laserfiche WebLink

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To: Honorable Mayor Adams and Council From: Julie Feier, City Manager Date: October 2, 2009 Subject: Weekly Update The University City Fire Department has received a $2.6 million fire station construction grant from U.S. Homeland Security! The University City Fire Department has taken extra steps to ensure that the citizens and employees of our city are as safe as possible. This summer we applied for a grant to build a new fire station to replace Station 1 at 6801 Delmar Blvd. This station will relocate to a much more suitable location at Westgate and Vernon that will allow us to arrive on emergency scenes faster and safer. Due to the generosity of Washington University for donating the land for construction and the hard work of Fire Chief Olshwanger and grant writing consultant, Chris Gibbons, the fire station will become a reality in 2010. The Station Construction Grant (SCG) was established as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) to provide financial assistance for fire departments to build or modify fire stations, which will enhance the department’s response to their community. Our department works hard to identify ways to better provide life safety protection and all hazard response to our citizens and our mutual aid partners. This is just one huge step that allows us to become more productive and effective for our citizens and employees. There were only three other grants awarded in the State of Missouri.The new fire house will contain the administration offices, a training center, sleeping facility for the firefighters on duty, backup power supply and include efficiency components such as solar generated hot water, natural lighting, water retention system to collect and reuse rain water, energy star HVAC and appliances, ADA compliant and a 50 year metal roof. much This relocation will free up space in the existing building to accommodate needed improvements for the police department including jail facilities, sally port, office rehabilitation and ADA accessible municipal court. There are a number of structural issues, which must be addressed initially; a facility assessment will be completed in the coming months. While the Homeland Security Grant will cover the full cost of the firehouse construction we will need to seek additional funding for the police rehabilitation, fire pumpers and other public safety concerns on the April ballot.