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Fire chief: state grants will buy replacement PASS devices and med‑vaults; department seeks $5,000 for temporary data‑conversion help
Summary
The finance committee recommended forwarding three fire department items to the full council: a $6,137 grant to buy 27 PASS devices, a $14,975 EMS grant to replace med vault equipment in two ambulances, and a $5,000 temporary‑help transfer to assist the department's First Due records conversion.
Chief Griffin told the Bethlehem Finance Committee the fire department received two small state grants and is seeking a $5,000 budget transfer to support a temporary, part‑time position to finish a records management conversion.
The department was awarded a 2025 Office of the State Fire Commissioner grant of $6,137 to acquire 27 Grace Industries PASS devices, which are personal alert safety system alarms worn by firefighters to signal when they are down or trapped. "Those PASS devices are pass alarms that are worn by the firefighters in the event that they become downed or trapped," Chief Griffin said. He said the quoted unit price at application was about $595 and that the grant will replace obsolete units that can no longer be repaired.
A second 2025 Office of the State Fire Commissioner EMS grant for $14,975 will buy a med vault to secure medications and narcotics in an ambulance, plus an organizer and equipment for the rear of a supervisor's vehicle. Director Fritz told the committee the purchases are replacing two units that are "end of life" (circa 2010).
The third item is a proposed $5,000 budget transfer to create temporary help to support the department's ongoing conversion to the First Due records management system. The chief said the position will be hired through human resources, estimated at roughly 15–20 hours per week for up to 90 days, with the temporary worker setting up the system, cleaning and transferring data, and training department staff so volunteer firefighters who have been assisting can return to operational duties. Mr. Evans, speaking for administration, said the city may reach out to recent retirees with relevant institutional knowledge to shorten the timeline: "there are some people we have in that could come back." He emphasized the conversion's timing sensitivity and the need to coordinate with the vendor and other agencies.
Committee members asked whether $5,000 would be sufficient; administration said the exact pay and duration will be determined through HR and that the amount is intended to fund a focused short‑term role to complete the transition. The committee voted 3–0 to recommend approval of the fire grants and the temporary‑help transfer and forwarded the items to the full council.
