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Selectmen approve $1,211 repair for Engine #2, discuss bunker gear delays and extractor needs
Summary
The Stoddard Selectmen approved a $1,211 repair for Engine #2 and discussed delayed bunker gear shipments, interim gear use per DOL guidance, and options for purchasing extractors and dryers to meet post‑incident cleaning needs.
The Stoddard Selectmen on Jan. 12 approved payment of $1,211 to repair an electronic converter on Engine #2 and spent much of the meeting discussing firefighter personal‑protective equipment and post‑incident cleaning options.
Selectman Terri LaRoche moved to approve the electronic converter repair on Engine #2 for $1,211 for the Fire Department; the motion carried unanimously. The board also reviewed a mid‑year budget update showing about 36% of the department’s budget expended and roughly 35% of the equipment repair line used.
Members raised concerns about supply‑chain and tariff delays that have pushed bunker‑gear deliveries into February. The board discussed interim reliance on gear that is one to three years past NFPA service guidance for non‑fire responses, citing Department of Labor (DOL) guidance as the basis for limited interim use. A DOL addendum dated 1/12 was noted as correcting personnel and gear age details and identifying one firefighter with expired personal gear; new gear has been ordered.
To reduce contamination and meet state expectations, staff presented draft standard operating procedures (SOPs) for post‑incident gear removal and indicated the SOPs would be submitted to the state as an interim compliance step; this could defer an immediate extractor purchase. Selectmen reviewed extractor cost options, roughly $4,800 on the low end to about $10,000 for a single‑gear unit, and dryer options estimated at ~$3,500 (single) and ~$7,000 (double). Board members noted installation costs could exceed equipment prices and referenced a site visit to a Nelson unit for comparison.
The board did not adopt a final purchase at the meeting; discussions pointed to further review of extractor/dryer models, installation estimates, and the tradeoff between immediate purchases and using SOPs to manage interim compliance. The Selectmen recorded no opposed votes on the repair motion and directed staff to continue vendor research and coordinate any state filings.
The board’s next step is to return with vendor quotes and installation cost estimates; no procurement contract was finalized at the Jan. 12 meeting.
