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Altamont reviews SCBA replacement and fire department staffing; grants mixed
Summary
Council packet included a $124,489.32 quote for replacement SCBAs; fire staff reported one grant award, two denials and five pending applications, interim officer appointments, and rising incident numbers through mid-2024.
City staff and the fire department flagged public-safety equipment and staffing needs at the Aug. 8 Altamont City Council meeting.
Council packets included a quote from Ed M. Feld Equipment Co. totaling $124,489.32 for self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and related equipment; staff noted current SCBAs date to 2007 and were described as becoming unsafe. Fire staff reported applying for eight grants, receiving one award, being denied two and awaiting decisions on the remaining applications. The minutes state that an updated SCBA estimate was included in the packet and that financing options were under discussion.
The minutes also record operational details: for the first six months of 2024 the department responded to 92 pager calls (51 for the city, 41 for the township). An officers meeting voted to purchase a new refrigerator to replace two donated units and members voted on July 18 to place three people into officer positions, including chief, on an interim basis with re-evaluation slated for Oct. 6. The department reported tracking proposed OSHA changes to incident reporting and personal protective equipment expected in 2025.
Council did not take a formal funding vote on the SCBA purchase at the meeting; the packet materials and discussion were presented to begin financing conversations and determine next steps.
