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Porterville fire chief outlines PPE mandate, training purchases and planned apparatus deliveries
Summary
The fire department reported Measure H and Measure I funded purchases including public-education materials, training mannequins and third‑party PPE cleaning driven by a new mandate; the department also expects delivery of a ladder truck and two engines later in the year and plans station remodels.
Fire Chief Frank Cochran told the Measure H/Measure I oversight committee that the department has used measure funds to buy public-education materials, training mannequins of varying sizes and has begun sending turnout gear to third‑party contractors for mandated annual inspection and cleaning.
Cochran said many line items span both quarters and that significant capital equipment purchases are pending to outfit two new engines and a ladder truck; the department expects delivery of the apparatus near the end of the calendar year and plans to stage purchases so equipment is ready when apparatus arrive.
He said the department remodeled a training room (adding audio/visual equipment) and upgraded other station spaces, and that the strategic plan will be presented to the city council and stakeholders in the near future. Cochran said station remodels and other facility modifications will likely be funded from a combination of Measure I and other grants or funding sources.
The chief also said overtime reimbursements from out-of-area assignments remain pending and will be processed when reimbursement checks arrive, at which time overtime costs will be credited back to Measure funds.
Why it matters: The third‑party inspection and cleaning of personal protective equipment (PPE) is now a recurring operating expense for the department. Pending apparatus deliveries and station remodels are capital actions tied to multi-year budgeting and may require coordination across budget cycles.
Committee members asked for further details about line items that appeared large on department spending reports; Cochran and staff clarified that some line items reflected grouped purchases or future purchases that have yet to be invoiced.
