Fire chief seeks emergency purchase of turnout gear after one set deemed beyond repair

The council considered Ordinance O-35-25, an emergency ordinance authorizing the fire chief to purchase firefighter turnout gear from Municipal Emergency Services Inc.

The fire chief told council that one firefighter’s turnout gear was inspected and found “beyond repair,” and the department received documentation from the vendor indicating the set could not be reconditioned. The chief said the emergency designation was requested so the department could obtain a new set as quickly as possible for that firefighter.

The chief described a multi-year replacement strategy to avoid large periodic outlays: the department plans to replace about three to four sets per year to maintain a rolling inventory, since turnout gear has an expected service life of about 10 years. The chief framed the approach as a lifecycle/rotation plan to avoid replacing large quantities at once in future years.

Council moved and seconded the emergency ordinance; the transcript records the presentation and supporting email documentation but does not include a roll-call vote for O-35-25 in the provided excerpt. Council members thanked the chief for the documentation showing which gear could not be salvaged.

The purchase request was described as an emergency to expedite delivery; the meeting transcript does not include the final recorded vote for this item in the excerpt provided.