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Fire chief urges continued funding for second sets of bunker gear, warns cuts would risk response capacity
Summary
Fire and emergency management leaders told commissioners that equipment cuts proposed in budget options would delay replacement of breathing-air compressors, hazmat and technical-rescue equipment and that second sets of turnout gear are increasingly standard to limit carcinogen exposure.
Fire department leaders asked Clay County commissioners June 17 to preserve funding for several public‑safety equipment projects and to continue investments tied to firefighter health and operational readiness.
Fire Chief Lauren Mogg and other public‑safety staff outlined equipment in next year’s capital plan that staff proposed trimming under the budget-reduction options. Projects and line items discussed included fixed‑facility breathing‑air compressors, replacement mobile command vehicles, technical‑rescue and hazmat equipment, and replacement of station compressors and other apparatus.
Chief Mogg emphasized one recurring health and readiness item: second sets of turnout (bunker) gear. She said second sets matter for on‑scene decontamination and to reduce firefighter exposure to carcinogens. “When they return…if they don't have a second set, it's hard for them to get out of something and not have the capability to respond,” Mogg said. The chief added that newer purchases are moving toward PFAS‑reduced gear to comply with recent state legislation and reduce long‑term health risks.
Costs and proposed reductions Budget staff proposed a $300,000 reduction in public‑safety equipment next year and recommended eliminating several next‑year items tied to the emergency‑operations center (EOC) and mobile command refresh. Staff also proposed deferring some emergency‑facility air‑conditioning replacements; facilities staff and the fire chief said the EOC system is aged, has required auxiliary units and has produced wide temperature swings that have complicated operations.
Operational effects Chief Mogg said some compressed-air units are trailer‑mounted and some are fixed; deferring replacements will require continuing maintenance and temporary solutions. For training and tactical capabilities, the department said reductions would slow planned upgrades to urban search‑and‑rescue and hazmat tooling and delay the startup of live‑fire training capabilities at a new facility.
Ending Commissioners discussed public‑safety priorities and asked staff to identify which public‑safety line items could be deferred with least operational risk. Multiple commissioners said public safety is a top priority but asked for specific lists to weigh tradeoffs against other county needs.
