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Lawrence panel backs transfers for firefighter gear and replacement vehicle
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee voted to send two transfers to the full council: $124,253 for turnout-gear replacement and $72,818.90 to replace a command vehicle. Fire Chief Delaney said aging gear raises safety and PFAS‑exposure concerns and several fleet vehicles are corroded or have high mileage.
The Lawrence City Budget & Finance Committee voted Dec. 11 to send two funding transfers to the full City Council that the Fire Department says are needed to replace worn personal protective equipment and an aging command vehicle.
Fire Chief Delaney told the committee the department expects 14 new hires and that contractual language requires two sets of turnout gear per firefighter. The $124,253 transfer from free cash would buy replacement sets for existing firefighters whose structural firefighting gear is older than 10 years, additional sets for anticipated new hires and replacements for upcoming vacancies. Delaney said older gear loses warranty protection and that PFAS compounds can be released through degradation and heat, posing health risks to firefighters.
Finance staff confirmed certified free cash of $18,000,003.94 and said no expenses had yet been recorded against it. The committee then approved a motion to forward the gear transfer to the full council with a favorable recommendation; Council President Giovanni Rodriguez, Councilor Wendy Luzon and Chair Stephanie Fante voted in favor.
Delaney also described a separate request — $72,818.90 from free cash to a motor-vehicle account — to buy a new command vehicle after one unit was taken off the road. He said several apparatus and support vehicles date from as early as 2007 and that one 2018 vehicle slated for replacement has about 120,000 miles. Delaney said the department has reused some retired police vehicles after repairs but several fleet vehicles are now rotten and unusable. The committee similarly voted to send the vehicle transfer on to the full council with a favorable recommendation.
Both items were described by Delaney as operational necessities tied to contractual staffing and safety requirements; the committee did not amend the requests and deferred final approval to the full City Council.
