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Fire chief outlines $2 million training tower, SCBA replacement and an extra medic unit in 2026 CIP
Summary
During the Aug. 13 finance committee meeting Fire Chief Pyle described multiple fire capital needs— a $2 million training tower, citywide replacement of self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), a community AED grant and plans to add a fifth paramedic apparatus to assure four medic units are available daily.
Fire Chief Pyle presented the department’s proposed capital items for 2026 at the Aug. 13 Delaware City Finance Committee meeting, citing safety, equipment life cycles and increased operational demand as justifications for the requests.
Chief Pyle said the department is ready to build a two‑building training tower—one structure for live‑fire training and an adjacent building for routine drills—to reduce exposure to carcinogenic soot on routine training gear. The training tower budget shown to the committee is $2,000,000, up from an earlier estimate of $1,500,000.
On life‑cycle replacement, Chief Pyle noted SCBA units are on a roughly 10‑year replacement schedule and that many of the city’s packs have reached end of life. “The lifespan is 10 years. It is not a law. ... however, a lot of those standards are referenced in law. And if we do not meet the standard, we're opening ourselves up to liability,” Chief Pyle said, explaining liability and NFPA consensus standards as drivers for replacement.
The department also proposed adding one paramedic apparatus (medic) so the city can maintain four medics in service daily even when a unit is in the shop. Chief Pyle said two medics are already on order for delivery in 2026 and the department is seeking a fifth to ensure continuous four‑unit availability. Staff said lead times for new medics currently run roughly 12–24 months depending on manufacturer and production backlogs.
Other items in the fire CIP included Station 305 IT and AV equipment, replacement of aging hazmat trailer equipment (current trailer dated to 1993), replacement mowers scheduled on a 10‑year cycle, AED purchases for station coverage and a proposed $15,000 community AED grant for nonprofits and places of assembly.
Committee members asked about revenue options, including cost‑recovery through capacity fees or shared maintenance costs with mutual‑aid partners; Chief Pyle and Alicia said staff will continue to evaluate funding approaches but emphasized safety and NFPA compliance as primary considerations.
