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Fire department describes new stationary roof-training prop; council to consider bid waiver
Summary
Fire officials described a stationary, hydraulic roof-training prop (about 12-by-24 ft) that simulates pitches and confined-space work. The town has CIP funding for upgrades; staff sought a bid waiver because the product and supplier are sole-source and the unit will be a permanent installation at the training tower.
Fire Department training staff presented details for a stationary roof-training prop at the Sept. 10 council meeting and asked the council to consider a bid waiver at a future meeting.
Training staff said the structure is a hydraulic steel unit roughly 12 feet by 24 feet that can be angled to simulate different roof pitches, accept shingling or plywood, allow holes to be cut for confined-space training, and has a solar-charged hydraulic system. Chief Regina (the department’s training chief) explained the prop's capabilities and said the unit is intended as a permanent stationary asset once installed on a prepared slab.
Staff said approximately $123,000 was allocated in CIP for upgrades at the training-tower site and that the prop costs roughly $80,000 of that allocation; the vendor identified in the packet is sole-source, and the state training system uses an identical or similar unit. Council members asked about lifespan (staff said the steel structure should last 40–50 years), whether the unit would be shared with neighboring towns (yes, regional departments already use the training tower), and site placement relative to the highway campus feasibility work.
Why it matters: The prop adds realistic, repeatable training opportunities for firefighters in roof operations and confined-space scenarios, and the town expects neighboring departments to use the facility.
What's next: Staff will return with a bid-waiver request and contract language; feasibility work at the highway campus will inform the exact placement and site-preparation schedule.
