To: Board of Supervisors
From: Lewis Broschard, Chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District
Report Title: Purchase of Personal Protective Equipment and Wildland Gear
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Acting as the governing board of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Purchasing Agent to execute, on behalf of the Fire Chief, a purchase order with All Star Fire Equipment Inc., in an amount not to exceed $630,000 for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Wildland gear from October 1, 2024 through October 31, 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Budgeted. 100% CCCFPD General Operating Fund.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) is responsible for providing wildland firefighting personal protective clothing and equipment (PPE) to its firefighters. The District purchases and maintains this PPE in accordance with national standards established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Specifically, NFPA 1951 outlines standards for Protective Ensembles for Technical Rescue Incidents, while NFPA 1977 specifies standards for Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting and Urban Interface Fire Fighting. These standards are undergoing updates to include annual inspections and to establish a 10-year lifespan for PPE fabric.
As requirements evolve, the District must make necessary adjustments to ensure firefighter safety. To accommodate annual inspections and repairs, it is essential to provide firefighters with a second set of PPE. Additionally, the District seeks to purchase PPE for firefighters responding to technical rescue incidents. The District can acquire dual-certified PPE that serves both purposes: it will provide a second set of wildland firefighting PPE for annual inspections and act as the primary PPE for technical rescue incidents.
All Star Fire Equipment Inc. is a reputable fire, rescue, and emergency response equipment distributor in California. The PPE available through All Star Fire Equipment, Inc. is compliant with NFPA and OSHA standards, ensuring the safety of our firefighters.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this request is not approved, the District will fail to meet NFPA and OSHA standards.