Committee weighs remote FireRover suppression system as transfer-station permitting and cost estimate advance

Weston & Sampson told the Icewind Building Committee on July 21 that an updated schematic cost estimate for the waste management (transfer-station) project will be delivered by the end of the month and will include increases for building height, tipping-bay depth modifications and other large-ticket items needed for operations.

Lee (Weston & Sampson) described a remote, turret-mounted FireRover fire-suppression and monitoring system under consideration for the transfer station. "The FireRover system is essentially a — I'll call it — a turret mounted fire suppression system," Lee said, describing a package that uses infrared cameras for detection and can automatically direct a suppression turret at a hot spot. He told the committee that similar systems have been installed at other transfer stations and that regulators have begun to require them in some cases.

Lee said the project team had a "very preliminary" placeholder price for the system of about $200,000 and that the number carries assumptions that will change as design advances. Committee members asked whether the function should be monitoring-only (early detection) or full suppression; Marlene asked for estimates of annual monitoring and service, and Lee said monitoring costs are expected to be a couple of thousand dollars a month but that staff would provide a tighter figure.

The committee also discussed permitting steps with MassDEP, including the need to secure a site-assignment letter before filing full plans and the plan to hold a pre-application meeting with MassDEP to avoid multiple, overlapping requests. Staff warned that permitting timing is squeezing the schedule and that the team is evaluating ways to shorten the Gantt chart and preserve transfer-station operations while Phase 7 landfill work proceeds.

Members discussed procurement options: if FireRover proves to be a proprietary solution with few vendors, the town may consider owner-supplied procurement or a sole-source waiver, with committee review and vote required for proprietary procurements.

The committee asked staff to obtain vendor pricing detail and annual operating costs and to return with firm recommendations on whether to include a full suppression package or a monitoring-only system in the project budget and procurement documents.