Explanation
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this ordinance is to appropriate $19,960.00 within the Public Safety Initiative subfund to the Department of Public Safety, on behalf of the Division of Fire, in order to train youth on how to provide lifesaving care prior to emergency medical personnel’s arrival and to purchase tourniquets for this training, to authorize a transfer to the general fund, as well as an expenditure of $19,960.00 from the general fund.
Columbus’s opportunity neighborhoods see disproportionate loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest, trauma from gunshot wounds, and drug overdoses compared to the City as a whole. There is a need for enhanced community intervention to provide acute care prior to emergency medical personnel’s arrival. Opportunity neighborhoods also experience higher rates of violence among young people. There is an opportunity to engage these young people as community responders to save lives instead of taking them. Citizen Responders are specially trained young people armed with the knowledge and ability to provide lifesaving care before emergency medical services arrive. This program focuses on providing at-risk youth with training in C.P.R., Narcan, Stop the Bleed, and basic first aid training so they can be empowered to save a life.
The goal of this program is to train 300 youth in the Citizen Responder curriculum over the summer.
FISCAL IMPACT: Total appropriation is $19,960.00 and is available in the 2021 budget within the Public Safety Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100016.
EMERGENCY DESIGNATION: Emergency action is requested in order to receive the funds to continue running the program.
Title
To authorize the appropriation of $19,960.00 in the Public Safety Initiatives subfund to the Department of Public Safety, on behalf of the Columbus Division of Fire, in order to train youth in the Citizen Responder Program on how to provide lifesaving care prior to emergency medical personnel’s arrival and to purchase tourniquets for this training; and to declare an emergency. ($19,960.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Columbus’ opportunity neighborhoods see disproportionate loss of life from sudden cardiac arrest, trauma from gunshot wounds, and drug overdoses compared to the City as a whole; and,
WHEREAS, there is a need for enhanced community intervention to provide acute care prior to emergency medical personnel’s arrival; and,
WHEREAS, opportunity neighborhoods also experience higher rates of violence among young people and there is an opportunity to engage these young people as community responders to save lives instead of taking them; and,
WHEREAS, the total appropriation is $19,960.00 and is available in the 2021 budget within the Public Safety Initiatives subfund for this purpose; and,
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, in that it is immediately necessary to appropriate funding to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Fire, so that the Division may continue the Citizen Responder program uninterrupted, thereby preserving the public peace, property, health, safety, and welfare; NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1: That the Auditor is hereby authorized and directed to appropriate $19,960.00 within the Public Safety Initiatives subfund, fund 1000, subfund 100016, to the Department of Public Safety in 02-Supplies, per the accounting codes in the attachment to this ordinance.
SECTION 2: That for reasons stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.