Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commission hears plan to accelerate purchase of two fire engines at roughly $2.3 million
Summary
Fire chief and staff described an opportunity to acquire two nearly‑spec engines currently in production, which would replace decades‑old frontline apparatus and shorten delivery time from multiple years to months; funding sources and a partial funding plan were described.
Fire Chief Drew Newburn and city staff told commissioners the department has located two spec fire engines that could be delivered in about five to six months, instead of the typical 42–48 month factory lead time for custom builds.
Chief Newburn said acquiring the two engines now would modernize the frontline fleet and improve reserve depth. City Manager (name not specified) said one engine is funded from the capital depletion fund; the second would be paid for from a combination of capital depletion funds and fire impact fees, with roughly $352,000 from capital depletion and $698,000 from impact fees proposed for the second apparatus.
City staff and the fire chief described the operational need: two frontline engines date from 1998–1999 and are past a reliable service life; replacement will keep all frontline units under five years of age once received and reduce reserve units to a lower age profile. Staff noted that resale values for engines over 10 years old are minimal and were not included in the funding calculus.
