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Council approves $238,986 purchase of light rescue truck to replace 1997 unit
Summary
St. Clair Shores approved the purchase of a 4x4 light rescue truck with winch from McQueen Emergency Vehicles for $238,986.10 to replace a 1997 rescue unit. The council vote was unanimous, 7–0; the vehicle will be paid from the motor pool fund.
St. Clair Shores City Council on April 20 unanimously approved the purchase of a new light rescue truck from McQueen Emergency Vehicles for $238,986.10. The vehicle will replace a 1997 Chevy 6500 rescue apparatus and will be paid from the city’s motor pool fund; the motion passed 7–0.
Driver/Engineer Michael Haddad of the fire department, joined by Battalion Chief Adam Bolen, presented the request and described the core operational need: a modern rescue unit to carry specialized equipment for low‑frequency, high‑risk incidents such as trench collapse, confined-space and heavy-truck stabilizations. Haddad said the department’s current rescue truck has about 70,000 miles on the chassis and about 7,000 engine hours (which he said equates to about 192,000 equivalent miles of heavy use).
The city issued an RFP; 33 vendors downloaded it and four bids were received. The low bid came from McQueen (formerly Kodiak Emergency Vehicles), which proposed a four-wheel-drive chassis with a rescue winch and warranties including a lifetime warranty on the structure; the bid price was $238,986.10. Haddad said options to go to four-wheel drive and include a winch added relatively modest costs but were important for performance in winter and in unstable working conditions.
City Manager Lent and staff explained the purchase will come from the motor pool fund balance and that overall motor-pool purchases are still under budget because previous vehicle purchases came in under estimates; no budget amendment was required for the purchase. Councilmember Vitale asked why the specification listed a Ford F‑550 chassis rather than leaving the chassis open; Haddad said the department has standardized on Ford chassis across several vehicles to simplify parts and maintenance, and that the F‑550 provided a favorable pricing and parts-commonality rationale.
Councilmembers praised the bid process and the warranties; the motion to approve the contract and payment to McQueen was moved by Councilmember Rusey and supported by Councilmember Kieran. The board voted 7–0 to authorize the purchase.
Why it matters: The new rescue truck updates a 1997 apparatus and carries specialized technical-rescue equipment that the department uses for structural, trench and heavy-vehicle rescue. Department leaders said the truck improves readiness for rare but high-consequence incidents.
What’s next: The vendor estimated a nine‑month build time after award. Staff will track delivery and inspect the vehicle upon arrival; the department said it expects the motor-pool fund to carry the earmarked cost without changes to the current operating budget.
