DEPARTMENT: SAFD
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Charles N. Hood
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
2015 Federal Surplus Program - medical equipment and supplies
SUMMARY:
This ordinance ratifies the City of San Antonio Office of Emergency Management (SAOEM) actions to apply for and accept medical surplus supplies and equipment worth $196,980 from the Federal Surplus Property Program. This program will provide a cache of medical equipment and supplies to setup and operate a mobile medical unit for a catastrophic disaster. To accept this medical equipment, the SAOEM must pay a $2,500 processing fee and be able to provide the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) proof that these supplies are properly maintained for a period of one year. After one year, the City can properly utilize these supplies as deemed appropriate, with no CDC oversight. The San Antonio Metro Health District (SAMHD) has agreed to pay the processing fee and the equipment will be stored indefinitely within an HEB warehouse at no cost to the City.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
On July 31, 2014, the Texas Facilities Commission contacted the SAOEM to see if the City was interested in one of the ten caches of medical equipment and supplies being offered through the Federal Surplus Property Program. The deadline for submitting a request was August 18, 2014. On January 27, 2015, the Texas Facilities Commission contacted SAOEM, to announce that the City of San Antonio was selected to receive a cache of medical equipment and supplies. SAOEM coordinated with HEB to store these supplies as a preventative measure for a catastrophic regional disaster or for a mass sheltering incident. SAOEM is working with the Southwest Texas Regional Advisory Council for Trauma (STRAC) and San Antonio Fire Department's EMS division to develop a strategy for deploying these resources during a disaster.
This entire cache of items consists of medical equipment and supplies, beds, linens, and personal hygiene items. The City received its shipment of supplies on February 19, 2015. This equipment is being stored at the HEB warehouse located at 5915 Business Park, San Antonio, Texas, 78218. The handling fee for this medical equipment and supplies is $2,500, to be paid by SAMHD.
ISSUE:
During a catastrophic large scale disaster, medical equipment and supplies are used up quickly and take time to be reordered and restocked. This delay could reduce the quality of services area first responders are able to provide. This additional stock of medical equipment will allow the SAOEM to quickly establish a mobile medical unit and reduce the delay in restocking of medical supplies.
ALTERNATIVES:
Non-acceptance of this grant could reduce the SAOEM's ability to quickly and effectively manage a large scale mass medical incident.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The San Antonio Health Metro District will utilize funds from the Bioterrorism Discretionary Fund to pay for the $2,500 processing fee for the medical equipment and supplies.
RECOMMENDATION:
This ordinance ratifies the SAOEM's action to apply for and accept medical surplus supplies and equipment worth $196,980 from the Federal Surplus Property Program and for the SAMHD to pay the $2,500 processing fee. This ordinance also appoints the City Emergency Manager, as designee and as the City's Point of Contact (POC) for the Federal Surplus Program. As designee, the City Emergency Manager is authorized by the City to execute any and all necessary documents to effectuate acceptance of this medical equipment and supplies.