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Fire chief asks for $365,335 to outfit firefighters with secondary turnout gear, proposes 20‑hour OMD contract
Summary
Chief Myattico presented a two‑part fire‑and‑rescue package: secondary turnout‑gear sets (estimated 80–86 sets) and equipment to launder/dry gear ($365,335.37 requested to exhaust federal funds), and a separate Operational Medical Director contract for 20 hours/month at $18,000/year for EMS oversight.
Chief Myattico briefed the board on a two‑part fire‑and‑rescue initiative aimed at reducing firefighters’ exposure to carcinogens and improving EMS oversight.
On cancer protection, Myattico said the county currently outfits many firefighters with a single set of turnout gear, forcing them to wait until the end of a tour to launder soiled gear. He described a plan to provide full‑time employees with a custom, second set stored at duty stations and to buy additional sizes for volunteers and part‑time responders from logistics. "We're looking at an estimated 80 to 86 sets of turnout gear," he said, and requested ultimately "$365,335.37 to exhaust those federal funds in this initiative." The plan also calls for more gear washers and drying cabinets; Myattico said drying cabinets cut drying time from days to hours.
Separately, Myattico presented a drafted contract to secure an in‑house Operational Medical Director (OMD) to provide clinical oversight, policy and protocol development, training and on‑site presence. The contract outlines 20 hours per month of OMD work (10 in‑person, 10 remote), billed quarterly, at an annual cost of $18,000 ($150/hour). Myattico said the model would give "boots on the ground" medical oversight and better integrate the OMD with EMS operations; the contract and scope of work have been reviewed by legal and finance.
Supervisors asked whether the OMD would support the transition to a Pyxis drug distribution system; Myattico confirmed OMD involvement and said the Board of Pharmacy had recently inspected the Pyxis installation. Board members generally voiced support for the cancer‑protection proposal and thanked staff for the work; no formal vote to appropriate funds was recorded at the session.
Next steps: staff will coordinate procurement and confirm compliance with procurement regulations and funding rules; the OMD contract will be monitored through its trial period and quarterly invoicing.
