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Riverside fire chief asks council to encumber funds for new engine after uptime, parts problems
Summary
Fire Chief requested a supplemental appropriation to encumber roughly $1 million to order a new pumper and about $60,000 for station facility repairs; council completed a first reading of the ordinance and will return for a second reading and public hearing.
Chief Miller (title in meeting: Fire Chief) told the City Council on June 16 that Riverside’s fire apparatus is aging and increasingly difficult and expensive to maintain, and asked council to encumber funds to place an order for a new engine.
The chief asked for approximately $60,000 for facility repairs — including replacing the apron at Station 6 — and about $1 million to encumber for a new engine. “The inflation on fire over the last 4 years has been 49%,” Chief Miller said, describing higher purchase prices and long lead times of two to three years for new fire apparatus. He said the city’s two pumpers, bought together in 2015, are now aging simultaneously and that a spare unit dates to 2002 and is frequently in service when another truck is out for repair. Chief Miller provided industry uptime/downtime benchmarks and described parts‑sourcing delays that lengthen out‑of‑service time for older trucks.
Why it matters: The city’s frontline firefighting capability depends on reliable apparatus. Chief Miller and staff said ordering now and encumbering funds is required to secure delivery slot and a proven motor configuration before later EPA motor changes could require a different, earlier‑generation engine.
Council procedure and next steps: City staff requested the ordinance as a supplemental appropriation and described it as an encumbrance rather than an immediate cash outlay; the council read Ordinance No. 250867 by title only (first reading) and completed the required roll call. Staff said they would return for a second reading, adoption and a public hearing at the next meeting and that procurement would be completed on the state contract to shorten lead times and reduce cost where possible.
Operational context: Chief Miller said the department performs frequent preventive maintenance checks on apparatus and that older units are in service fewer days per year because of maintenance and repair needs. He said the city’s long‑term capital plan contemplates spacing replacements to avoid simultaneous retirements and that current encumbrance aligns with that plan.
Ending: Council completed a first reading of Ordinance 250867, with staff and the interim finance director indicating the request is part of the approved capital plan and that further appropriation action and a public hearing will follow.
