I. RECOMMENDATION:
The Fire Chief is requesting Council approval of Resolution No. 4018 for unanticipated expenditures from the Coalinga Fire Department to purchase replacement Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) and approve the purchase of the MSA G1 SCBA through the vendor L.N. Curtis who has an existing bid with Kern County and has allowed the City to piggyback onto that bid. The piggyback will allow the City to bypass the traditional bid process as this bid as already been verified and meets current NFPA specifications.
II. BACKGROUND:
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBAs) are used by firefighters to provide breathable air in hazardous environments. Their use is mandated by health and safety statutes and regulations and Coalinga Fire has provided SCBAs to firefighters working on certain types of fires and on hazardous materials incidents for many years.
The majority of SCBAs and components currently in use by the department do not comply with the latest safety standards. NFPA 1981 has had 3 revision cycles since our last purchase. Additionally, because they are non-compliant, the manufacturer has stopped making replacement parts. This makes it difficult to maintain these items and poses a potential threat to the safety of firefighters.
SCBA’s have a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years. We are at the max end of that life expectancy. This purchase will bring the entire Fire Department SCBA complement up to current standards and it will be another 10 to 15 years before replacements are once again required.
III. DISCUSSION:
The Fire Department currently uses Honeywell SCBA’s that have been in service for 14 years and no longer comply with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. Honeywell has discontinued production of SCBA’s and while parts are available lead times are extremely extended and the only part that is not able to be replaced is the transducer. If the transducer goes out the SCBA will not function and is not repairable. Due to the age of the units the transducers could fail at any time. We currently have 29 SCBA’s, 5 that are out of service due to obsolete parts to repair, 5 bottles that are passed their life expectancy and can no longer be pressurized. Many bottles are filled but past their life expectancy. Once they are used, they can no longer be refilled. In addition, our face pieces are no longer serviceable for yearly pressure test and have not been certified in the last year.
During the process, the department learned that there are only two companies authorized to sell MSA product. Those being L.N. Curtis & Sons and Bauer Compressors (see attached letter). Both L.N. Curtis and Bauer submitted quotes. L.N Curtis came in at $117,910.95 and Bauer came in at $159,446.77. Staff is recommending to approve the purchase through L.N. Curtis.
IV. ALTERNATIVES:
- Do not approve the purchase. Not recommended.
V. FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of purchasing this equipment is $117,910.95 and is not budgeted. This unanticipated expenditure will be allocated to the General Fund from the Fire Department's major machinery and equipment account. This purchase is for the MSA G1. This includes (14) packs, (28) bottles, (25) face pieces, (1) Rescue bag with bottle and face piece, (1) battery charger, (3) extra rechargeable batteries, and (1) adapter for our SCBA fill station. This includes a 15-year warranty on electronics and pneumatic components, software updates, annual fit testing of face pieces, and training for all department members. Though this is an unbudgeted expense, it is a health and safety need. |