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Council OKs $36,078 drawdown of donated funds for firefighting equipment
Summary
Council approved using donated funds in the fire department special account to buy a refurbished Lucas chest‑compression device (~$11,600), extra boots/helmets/gear bags, and a bunker‑gear drying cabinet (~$10,000), totaling $36,078, to improve response and reduce contamination risks for firefighters.
The Nederland City Council voted July 13 to authorize a $36,078 drawdown from the fire department’s donated special account for equipment purchases.
Fire Chief Keith Morton described the request as a use of donated funds (primarily from Energy Transfer) to buy a refurbished Lucas automated chest‑compression device (roughly $11,600), additional sets of structural boots, helmets and gear bags for suppression personnel, and a bunker‑gear drying cabinet (about $10,000) to speed gear turnaround and reduce contamination. Chief Morton said the drying cabinet would cut gear‑drying time from about 12 hours for several sets to about three hours for six sets.
Council members praised the purchases, noting existing equipment has been life‑saving and the proposed items support firefighter health and operational readiness. The council approved the drawdown by roll call with no dissent.
The funds are drawn from the fire department special account where donors have previously contributed; the chief said the first Lucas device was acquired with donated funds several years ago and the refurbished price offers comparable warranty coverage.
