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Home My WebLink AboutMarch 15, 2004 Work Session CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS Mavor Julienne FVyckoff Councilmembers Robert A. Williams Bruce Nawrocki Tammera Ericson Bruce Kelzenberg City Manaqer Walt Fellst 590 40th Avenue N.E., Columbia Heights. MN 55421-3878 (763) 706-3600 TOO (763) 706-3692 Visit Our Website at: lVWlV.ci.colul/lbia-heights.l/ln.us ADMINISTRA TION NOTICE OF CITY COUNCIL MEETING ************ to be held in the CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS as follows: Meeting of: Date of Meeting: Time of Meeting: Location of Meeting: Purpose of Meeting: COLUMBIA HEIGHTS CITY COUNCIL MARCH 15, 2004 7:00 P.M. CONFERENCE ROOM 1 WORK SESSION AGENDA 1. Disuibution of Re-codified City Code. 2. Discuss the Fire Depmiment bidding with the Cities of Anoka mld Fridley to purchase Self Contained Breathing Apparatus. (SCBA) The City of Columbia Heights does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its services, programs, or activities. Upon request, acconmlodation will be provided to allow individuals with disabilities to participate in all City of Cohunbia Heights' services, programs, and activities. Auxiliary aids for handicapped persons are available upon request when the request is made at least 96 hours in advance. Please call the City COllliCil Secretary at 706-3611, to make arrangements. (TDD/706-3692 for deaf or hearing impaired only) THE CITY OF COLUMBIA HEIGHTS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN EMPLOYMENT OR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER CITY COUNCIL LETTER Meeting of: March 22, 2004 AGENDA SECTION: ORIGINATING DEPARTMENT: CITY MANAGER APPROVAL NO: Fire ITEM: Joint Powers Agreement between BY: Charles Thompson BY: Anoka/Champlin, Fridley, and Columbia Heights for the purchase of Self Contained DATE: March 10, 2004 DATE: Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) NO: Background: Fire Department staff from the cities of AnokalChamplin, Fridley, and Columbia Heights have been meeting to discuss ideas for potential cost savings measures in common activities. One of the first recognized areas was the replacement of our current Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA). Because all cities were interested in replacing their SCBA equipment, we decided to put our resources together to get the best price possible for this equipment and form a Joint Powers Agreement. Analysis and Conclusions: As the cities continue to meet, it was felt that all three cities are on the same timeline for replacement. This Joint Powers Agreement is similar to past agreements which our own Public Works Department has been a part of. Staff feels that substantial savings will be recognized by purchasing a high vohune ofthese SCBAs. This is a project that the Fire Department would normally bid out on an individual basis. The Joint Powers Agreement is set up with AnokalChamplin taking the lead on advertising and then submitting to all cities involved the bid specifications when the process is closed. Because the cities of Columbia Heights and Fridley will assist in advertising locally, this process will not involve any additional cost to the cities involved. RECOMMENDED MOTION: Move to approve the Join Powers Agreement between the cities of AnokalChamplin, Fridley, and Columbia Heights for the joint public bidding of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and to authorize the Mayor and City Manager to enter into an agreement for the same. 04-32 Attachments I COUNCIL ACTION: Columbia Heights Fire Department Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Summary In March of2003, the Fire Department began the review of our current Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) equipment. The attached document is the result of this evaluation. SCBA's are used by our firefighters when exposed to IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health) atmospheres. These are the conditions which firefighters face when fighting a fire or when exposed to a hazardous materials situation. Because of several catastrophic failures with our current air packs, fire department management decided to do an in-depth review of all current air packs and make the appropriate recommendations to the City Council for action. We have had four confirmed total failures of these air packs in IDLH atmospheres during actual emergency and training events. To have even one failure with this type of equipment could have potential fatal results. Each time we turned the SCBA over to the supplier for examination and corrective action, the vendor gave excuses for the product stating that the only way this could happen is if we had moisture in our air system. Each year we test our air system for impurities and moisture and we have always fallen into the acceptable levels. Firefighter and management's confidence in our air packs is minimal at best. We feel that they must be replaced before we incur a preventable injury or worse. Not only do we currently have undependable SCBA equipment, but we also face many equipment repairs, upgrades, and new air pack purchases for the new ladder truck which will arrive this fall. The total cost with the purchase of ten new air packs and the repair and upgrades which are mandatory will be in the mid to upper $70,000 dollar range (see attached document). This is an unacceptable amount to put into air packs nearing ten years of age. The anticipated price to replace these air packs and masks will be in the area of$120,000. The recommendation from the fire department is to take these nmds from the 2004 capital equipment fund which has a current balance of $208,011.46. This is the fund originally set aside for the purchase of a new fire engine. However, when the fire department received the Assistance to Firefighter Grant, Council authorized the re- direction of the funds for the purchase of our quint. It is recommended that we utilize funds to purchase the new Self Contained Breathing Apparatus from these funds. The City of Columbia Heights, like many Minnesota cities, was impacted very seriously by the loss of local government aid during the last legislative session. Because of the loss of aid, Columbia Heights Fire Department staff has been looking for ways to economize in fire depaliment operations. As a result of our efforts, we have become aWal'e of a "Joint Powers Agreement" that currently exists or has existed between cities throughout Minnesota. This type of agreement has merit for cities looking to purchase like equipment. The cities of Anoka/Champlin and Fridley are also currently looking to purchase SCBA's in the near future. After consulting with representatives from those cities, the consensus is that a Joint Powers agreement for the purchase of Self Contained Breathing Apparatus would be beneficial to all three cities and that there is the possibility of significant savings if such an agreement were to be created. 2004 costs to bring SCBA / Fire Department into compliance Item Frequency # of Units Price per unit Total Cost Hydrostatic test Every 3 years. 40 Bottles $ 27.00 $ 1,080 and visual (Note: bottles to inspection be replaced before 2/2010) Mandatory 6 Every 6 years 20 SCBA Units $ 77.20 $ 11,544 year overhaul Mandatory Annually 20 SCBA Units $ 16.20 $ 964 screen/filter 32.00 -Labor replacement 48.20 Fit testing of Annually 35 Fire Fighters $ 500.00 $ 500 SCBA facepieces Pay once every Already paid in 4th year 2003 Medical Annually 38 Fire Fighters $ 75.00 $ 2,850 evaluation & Spirometry test Properly fitted As needed 3 Fire Fighters $ 340.00 $ 3,740 face pieces could not get a Per new face seal in 2003. pIece 8 new masks for Fire Fighters Should strap As needed 22 of 40 straps $ 60.00 $ 11,320 replacement need replacing in 2003 Bottle repair As needed 1 valve body $ 268.00 $ 1,072 needs replacing (4 Bottles) Other repairs As needed 14 - 1 st stage regulators may need Est $ 2,500 See table SCBA repair or replacement. Survey 2/2003 1 - 1 st stage regulator hose and 2 - 2nd stage hoses are worn. 2 - gauge guards Cost: Repair Current: $ 25,070 Plus 10 new paks for ladder and 2 rescue trucks: $ 54,055 $ 79,125