Committee recommends council approve $301,469.84 purchase of firefighting gear

The Finance and Budget Committee on May 13 recommended that City Council approve a $301,469.84 purchase order to Municipal Emergency Services for structural firefighting gear.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian Osterman told the committee the order covers 82 complete sets of bunker gear and is intended to replace sets that are at or near the 10-year service-life threshold identified in the National Fire Protection Association standard. "We have several sets that are either at or near end of life that we need to get replaced," Osterman said, noting every firefighter is issued two sets of gear, a primary and a backup.

The committee’s recommendation followed staff comment that funds exist in the FY25 operating budget to cover part of the purchase and that a correlating budget request would be brought in June to supply the remaining funds. No formal appropriation beyond the purchase order was adopted by the committee; the item was sent on to full council with a recommendation of approval.

The recommendation passed on a recorded voice vote. Council members voting "Aye" on the committee recommendation included Council Member Carlisle, Council Member Funk, Chair Keira Shields and Vice Chair Lopez. The committee made no amendments to the purchase order before forwarding it to council.

The purchase and budget timing were described as a response to an accumulation of replacement needs that outpaced prior annual procurement plans. Osterman said the goal is to keep issued gear within the NFPA-recommended service life.

The ordinance will appear on the City Council agenda for consideration; the committee did not set an effective date or other implementation conditions beyond the forthcoming budget action in June.

A separate presentation on the broader FY26 budget and capital program followed the recommendation and is being handled in committee and council budget hearings.