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Fire chief asks Select Board to fund turnout gear, SCBAs and air‑packs; proposes phased purchase
Summary
Lebanon’s fire chief told the select board the department has multiple expiring turnout sets and aging SCBAs and proposed buying a limited number of SCBA assemblies and turnout gear this budget cycle while phasing the remainder over subsequent years.
Lebanon’s fire chief told the Select Board that the department needs new protective equipment and breathing apparatus and urged the board to approve partial purchases this budget cycle while spreading larger purchases across future years.
The chief said multiple sets of turnout gear are expiring soon — he counted nine expiring coats and a larger number of pants — and that the department currently has about 24 members who may need fitting sets. He asked the board to authorize funding for additional turnout sets, noting a per‑set figure of about $5,000 cited in the materials provided to the board. "I really need 20," the chief said when describing his ideal replacement plan, while acknowledging a smaller purchase this cycle would be workable.
On breathing apparatus, the chief described a multi‑year need for new SCBA frames, masks and bottles. He said the department’s long‑run plan calls for 14 complete assemblies (frames, bottles and masks) and two rapid intervention (RIT) packs. Given current constraints, he proposed buying a smaller number of air‑pack assemblies this year (four packs) for roughly $50,000 and phasing the remainder over two to three years. He also recommended acquiring at least one additional RIT pack to enhance firefighter rescue capability.
Board members discussed funding sources including the department’s CIP and grant opportunities (the chief said he was working on AFG grant paperwork for a fire truck) and asked the chief to obtain updated vendor quotes to firm up numbers. The chief said he could reallocate existing equipment across engines to ensure the new engine has air packs on board, and he asked the board to consider the workplan and quotes when finalizing the capital budget.
The board asked for written quotes good through the fiscal year to allow accurate budgeting and agreed in principle to pursue the phased plan. The transcript records the chief’s figures and the board’s direction to request firm quotes rather than immediate appropriation.
