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    3.    
Finance Committee
Meeting Date: 10/11/2022  
FROM: Bill Gallardo

Subject:
Purchase of New Fire Apparatus
RECOMMENDATION
Recommend that Finance Committee approve the purchase of two (2) fire engines and one (1) ladder truck (FY 2022-23).
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
In 2022, the City retained Citygate Associates, LLC (Citygate) to conduct a comprehensive Standards of Response Coverage (SOC) and Community Risk Assessment (CRA) study, to review current organizational conditions, analyze future service demands and service delivery options, and provide recommendations for the Fire Department (Department) to guide future decision-making for the next three to five years. The scope included a command staff assessment to model the City’s needs if it were to separate from the shared fire command partnership with the City of Fullerton. Citygate utilized multiple sources to gather, understand, and model information about the City and Department, and requested a large amount of relevant background data and information to better understand current costs, service levels, history of service level decisions, and prior studies. Citygate also utilized various National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and Insurance Services Office (ISO) publications as best practice guidelines, along with the self-assessment criteria of the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI).
 
Following the issuance of the report, Public Works Department management staff met with Fire Department management staff to assess the current operations of all the Fire Stations' vehicles and discuss recommended replacements.
 
To get a better picture of the current assets, vehicle age/mileage, and deployment, a detailed breakdown by Fire Station was created. Recommendations for new equipment noted are from Fire management staff:
 
Fire Station 1:
  • Frontline Engine (New engine)
  • Reserve Ladder/Tiller Truck (#27008, 2007 Pierce, 101,417 mile)
Fire Station 2:
  • Frontline Ladder/Tiller Truck (New truck)
  • Frontline Strike Team Brush Rig (#1520, 2015 Pierce, 28,935 miles)
  • Reserve Engine (#1202, 2012 Pierce, 119,968 miles)
  • Frontline Battalion Chief Unit (#2114- 2021 Ford F250, 100 miles)
 Fire Station 3:
  • Frontline Engine (New engine)
  • Reserve Battalion Unit (#1030, 2011 Chevy Suburban, 72,405 miles)
  • UTV 3 with Ford F350
 Fire Station 4:
  • Frontline Engine (#1915, 2019 Pierce, 28,774)
  • Frontline Brush Rig (#1201, 2012 Pierce, 58,100 miles)

The current frontline engines and truck will go on reserve status once the new frontline engines and truck are received. With the growing amount of emergency calls due to our increasing population, and risk of wildland fires, the addition of two pumpers and one ladder/tiller truck is recommended. Staff will bring forward another request to City Council for the replacement of the tiller truck late Spring of 2023. This has an estimated cost of $2M with an estimated 30 month delivery timeframe. This setup will put us in a better position for the future needs of the fire department. As we have seen, the price of equipment has risen tremendously this past year. Buying multiple pieces of apparatuses will also allow for a discount.   
SUMMARY/FISCAL IMPACT
With the growing amount of emergency calls due to our increasing population, and the risk of wildland fires, the addition of two pumpers and one ladder/tiller truck is recommended. This setup will put the Fire Department in a better position for future needs. As has been seen, the price of equipment has risen tremendously this past year. The urgency to purchase at this time is due to lengthier build times and cost which increases annually in November by 5.3%. Buying multiple pieces of apparatuses will also allow a discount. The cost of the two pumper trucks is $1,813,055.69.  The final cost of the ladder/tiller truck will be available after all specifications are determined and will not to exceed $2 million.  The fiscal impact will be to the General Fund excess reserves which is above our operating and budget stabilization limit of 25% and the Equipment & Vehicle Maintenance (Fund 480).
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
William Gallardo, City Manager
Prepared by: George Avery, Interim Fire Chief
 
Attachments
Quote for Pumpers
Apparatus locations

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