West Covina council accepts federal SAFER grant to add 13 firefighters
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Summary
The City Council voted 5-0 to accept a two‑year federal SAFER grant that will fund 13 fire personnel, restore a fifth engine company and reinstate an assistant fire marshal position; staff identified possible shortfalls and funding sources including GEMT reimbursements.
The West Covina City Council voted unanimously to accept a federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response) grant that would fund 13 firefighters over two years and restore the city's fifth engine company.
Fire Chief Rick Genovese told the council the grant would provide roughly $2.3 million in each of two years (about $4.66 million total) to hire personnel, reinstate an assistant chief fire marshal position and improve daily deployment. Genovese said the award would improve response times and firefighter safety.
Genovese outlined likely costs the grant does not cover, including overtime increases during the two-year period and a potential maximum layoff exposure of about $304,000 if the city were to eliminate all 13 positions after the grant ends. He also noted the city could offset some costs with a new reimbursement source, the GEMT (Ground Emergency Medical Transport) program, which staff estimate could yield a retroactive payment of about $1,386,365 and roughly $325,000 per year thereafter.
Council members questioned where vacancies would be left unfilled and how overtime and GEMT revenue would be applied. Genovese said the department currently has multiple vacancies that could be filled by the grant hires and that using overtime in place of some hires can save the city benefits costs, producing estimated savings of $97,000 to $269,000 per year depending on vacancies left unfilled.
Councilman Warshaw asked for the chief's recommendation. Genovese said, "My personal recommendation would be accept the grant." The council voted 5-0 to accept the SAFER grant.
Officials said the grant is a short-term solution that provides two years for the city to identify longer-term funding or structural changes, including possible use of GEMT funds or changes to staffing levels. The council also heard that LA County has prepared a feasibility study on contracting fire services; that study could inform longer-term decisions but the SAFER grant acceptance does not commit the city to any contracting arrangement.
The council directed staff to proceed with the grant acceptance and related budget planning.
The vote was 5-0 in favor; council members did not name a mover in the audio record and the motion was seconded on the record.
