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Fire marshal: FEMA grant will upgrade emergency key‑box security and interoperability
Summary
Fire Marshal Rich Gieske said a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety grant (applied for with Bellevue) will fund an upgrade of emergency key‑box systems to electronic access, improve interoperability with Bellevue and Redmond PD, and is about $300,000 with a 5% labor match; council expects the item on the Oct. 1 consent agenda.
The committee heard from Fire Marshal Rich Gieske about a Department of Homeland Security/FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant the city applied for jointly with the City of Bellevue.
Gieske said the grant will fund upgrades to the city's emergency key‑box systems — converting physical cores to electronic access and improving the security of keys carried in apparatus and vehicle boxes. "We're going to move forward and this will help us increase the security of both the keys within the apparatus, as well as the keys to the individual buildings within the city that are part of this program," Gieske said. He added the project will enhance interoperability across city borders and may allow interoperable access for Redmond Police Department where buildings opt in.
Gieske said the grant award is just under $300,000, carries a 24‑month implementation period and requires a 5% match, which the city expects to provide as labor in lieu of cash. Council members asked whether neighboring jurisdictions had been approached; Gieske said Kirkland had been contacted but was not ready to participate in the earlier grant application. Council members congratulated staff and one said the grant item is expected to appear on the Oct. 1 consent agenda.
The committee did not record a formal vote; staff said they will bring the consent item forward for council action.
