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Council backs fire-department upgrades: Firecore AI subscription and SCBA purchases
Summary
The council approved a five-year Firecore AI subscription for vegetation monitoring (up to 500 parcels) and authorized up to $150,000 to purchase new MSA SCBA units and associated bottles/facepieces to replace aging equipment; one councilmember opposed the SCBA spending level.
La Habra Heights' fire leadership asked the council to modernize equipment and adopt technology to better manage wildfire risk. The council voted to enter a five-year subscription service with Firecore AI for satellite and drone-based vegetation analysis targeted to up to 500 parcels in the city's highest-risk areas, at $13,600 annually; staff added a contract edit to prevent sharing resident data with outside parties ("including but not limited to insurance companies").
Fire chiefs and firefighters demonstrated self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBAs), helmets and protective gear and discussed equipment life cycles, NFPA/OSHA requirements and hydrostatic testing intervals. Staff advised the council they currently have 14 Scott-brand SCBAs and several bottles/out-of-date bottles requiring hydrostatic testing; the chiefs recommended moving to MSA SCBAs for improved communications, telemetry and regional compatibility with LA County partner agencies.
Council authorized purchasing MSA SCBA units under a CalFire piggyback order and approved a budget amendment not to exceed $150,000 to procure units, bottles and face pieces, with the caveat that the city would seek to stagger inventory and pursue grants and donations to offset costs. The vote was 4-1; Councilmember Carol Engelhart voted no on the spending authorization. Chiefs said the new units would improve safety, interoperability with mutual-aid partners and on-scene communications.
Separately, council accepted a donation and authorized purchase of 20 helmets (approx. $9,300) funded by the La Habra Heights Improvement Association.
Next steps: staff will place the CalFire piggyback order prior to the vendor deadline, apply foundation and grant proceeds as available to offset capital costs, and return periodic reports on Firecore AI results and equipment deployment.
