Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Fillmore approves purchase of new LifePak 35 cardiac monitors for fire department; $210,000 over three years
Summary
The council unanimously approved funding and financing to acquire three additional LifePak 35 cardiac monitors (bringing the fleet to four devices) to replace older units; staff highlighted improved pediatric capability, wireless data transfer to hospitals, longer battery life and enhanced displays.
Fillmore's City Council on June 9 approved the Fire Department's request to fund three additional LifePak 35 cardiac monitors, supplementing a single monitor the department received through a regional FEMA grant last year. The total cost is not to exceed $210,000; staff proposed 0% financing over three years and requested a $70,000 appropriation from general fund reserves for FY 2026''7 to cover the first-year payment.
The Fire Chief explained the clinical and operational advantages of the LifePak 35 over the older LifePak 15 units: clearer, more usable displays and external lighting for rapid scene assessment; improved pediatric monitoring; onboard timers and integrated monitoring of multiple functions (rate, rhythm, blood pressure, SpO2); and wireless connectivity (Bluetooth/cellular/Wi-Fi) that can send data to receiving hospitals in real time. The newer units also have a longer battery life (up to nine hours) and simplify documentation and post-incident data transfer.
Chiefs and councilmembers stressed the clinical benefits in cardiac arrests and pediatric events and noted Fillmore's busy emergency load among county stations. Staff said standardizing the fleet reduces training complexity for volunteer and reserve firefighters and improves interoperability with county partners.
The council voted unanimously to approve the purchase, authorize the financing, and direct staff to include the appropriations in the FY 2026''7 budget cycle as proposed.
Next steps: staff will finalize procurement and financing documents (in a form approved by the city attorney) and schedule equipment delivery and training for city and reserve personnel.
