Menlo Park Fire Protection District

 

Community Engagement and Resiliency

 

Program Overview

The Community Engagement and Resiliency (CER) Program aims to enhance community preparedness for both small- and large-scale emergencies and disasters through education, training, and resource provision. This is achieved by offering training classes and by partnering with community groups. Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) focuses on educating the public in essential disaster response skills, including fire safety, light search and rescue, team organization, and disaster medical operations. Additionally, the District’s community preparedness efforts support various emergency readiness courses, including Red Cross Ready, CPR/First Aid, Stop the Bleed, and Wilderness First Aid Preparedness, to ensure a well-rounded approach to community safety. CER also collaborates with local schools to provide fire and life safety education. School and community programs are developed based on data collected on the jurisdiction.

Management Oversight

The CER Program is managed by the Fire Marshal of the Fire Prevention and Life Safety Division. The program is staffed by three full-time equivalent personnel. It includes payroll expenditures for administrative support staff responsible for implementing the program's goals and objectives. Additionally, the program covers expenses for general equipment purchases, subscription-based services, contract services, and miscellaneous supplies required to support the District and community's mission of preparedness in the event of an emergency or disaster within the District’s jurisdiction. 

Goals and Objectives

  • Conduct research to identify community safety risks and develop targeted awareness campaigns through various communication channels, such as social media and local outreach, to educate the public on hazards and emergency preparedness.

  • Provide specialized safety training for high-risk populations (e.g., seniors, individuals with disabilities) and general safety programs for the broader community, covering topics like fire safety, disaster preparedness, and basic first aid.

  • Collaborate with local schools to provide firefighter-led safety education, teaching students fire prevention, emergency response, and safety awareness through interactive lessons.

FY 2024-25 Accomplishments

  • Coordinated Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) deployments in response to post-rainfall community needs.

  • Provided support during Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) operations.

  • Completed a Community Risk Assessment utilizing CRAIG 1300 and ImageTrend data to identify and address local hazards.

  • Removed and surplused excess trailers to improve resource management and operational efficiency.

  • Completed firefighter rehabilitation training for CERT members to enhance support during extended emergency operations.

FY 2025-26 Program Initiatives

  • Procure and strategically deploy CERT equipment caches to enhance community emergency response capabilities.

  • Further develop the Community Risk Assessment (CRA) tool and program, using identified risks to guide mitigation and preparedness efforts.

  • Strengthen district-wide resiliency and disaster preparedness by equipping fire stations with essential supplies such as food, water, and backup power.

  • Continue implementing the District’s HAM radio communication plan to improve emergency communication and coordination capabilities.

Full-Time Equivalent Personnel

Program Expenditure Summary

Expenditure Analysis

Salaries: This request includes funding for regular salaries, leave benefits, workers' compensation, and other paid time off. The decrease in expenses is primarily attributed to a reduction in salaries for a Senior Management Analyst position, which has been transferred from the Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) program. This reduction reflects the reassignment of the position and the corresponding adjustment in salary allocation, leading to lower overall personnel costs in the upcoming fiscal year.

 

Stipends: This request includes funding for career development pay, phone stipends, residency stipends, and uniform allowance stipends. An increase of $14,485 is primarily attributed to a rise in career development pay, which is tied to the salary increases.

 

Retirement: The expenditure request includes the standard employer retirement contribution, annual Unfunded Actuarial Liability (UAL) payment, UAL excess payment, and Medicare tax payments. The $10,658 decrease is due to the reduction of retirement costs for the Senior Management Analyst position transferred to the Unmanned Aerial System program.

 

Benefits: The expenditure request includes costs for the café plan, dental plan, life insurance, and post-employment health benefits. The $12,543 decrease is mainly attributed to the reduction in retirement costs for the Senior Management Analyst position, which was transferred to the Unmanned Aerial System program.

 

Materials and supplies: This request includes funding for general supplies and equipment, as well as conference and travel expenses. A decrease of $25,500 is anticipated due to a reduction in the purchase of supplies and equipment in the upcoming fiscal year. This decrease results from more efficient resource management and a reduced demand for certain supplies.

 

Contract services: This request includes funding for general contract services, general liability insurance, and software licensing fees. A decrease of $70,000 is anticipated, primarily due to a reduction in contract service costs and a decrease in consultant services needed to carry out the program objectives.

 

Fixed assets:  All fixed asset purchases are recorded in the Capital Improvement Projects Fund. The fixed asset expenditure request for the current year is specifically designated for the CERT program. This investment is crucial for providing a CERT cache container and outfitting the necessary equipment to support effective training and operational readiness.