Agenda

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D.6

To:	Contra Costa County Fire Protection District Board of Directors
From:	Lewis T. Broschard III, Chief, Contra Costa Fire Protection District
Date:	November 10, 2020

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Purchase Contract for two Type III Wildland Firefighting Engines

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 11/10/2020

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, Director
Candace Andersen, Director
Diane Burgis, Director
Karen Mitchoff, Director
Federal D. Glover, Director

Contact:

Lewis T. Broschard III, Fire Chief (925) 941-3300

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: November 10, 2020
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or designee, to execute a purchase contract with Boise Mobile Equipment, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $740,000 for the manufacture and purchase of two (2) Type III Model 34 Wildland Firefighting Engines for emergency response.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Although funds were not appropriated in the current fiscal year for these capital equipment purchases (i.e., under capital autos and trucks), the District does have funds budgeted in the current fiscal year to pay for the vehicles without having to recognize new revenue. During the District's budget update to the Board on August 4, 2020, the District was still awaiting the tax roll letter. At that time, the District suggested some voluntary reductions to expenditures. For example, certain vacant positions are not being filled until January 2021 and some not critical building maintenance projects have been delayed. In addition, the District reduced planned expenditures to some of its non-capital equipment and supply budgets. Those funds -- which are still in the approved budget but under different major objects -- will be used to fund these capital vehicle purchases.

BACKGROUND:

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) is charged with fighting wildland fires as part of its primary mission of providing fire protection. The apparatus used for fighting wildland fires is
specialized and requires a configuration and specifications not common to the typical municipal fire department pumper. The apparatus used for fighting wildland fires require four-wheel drive, the ability to carry a supply of specialized wildland firefighting equipment, and interior seating capacity for up to four firefighters. The most common type of apparatus used throughout the State of California by agencies similar to the District is referred to as a Type III Engine.

The District currently operates a fleet of twelve (12) Type III engines; five (5) Type II engines; and two (2) Type VI Engines that have been reconfigured for wildland firefighting.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends a maximum of 15 years for front-line service for these types of apparatus. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) has developed specifications for their Type III Engines that are suitable for the needs of our agency in carrying out the control and suppression of wildland fires. We selected a Cal Fire designed Type III Engine and recommend purchasing two of these units as part of the HGAC Cooperative Purchasing program. This system allows local government agencies to procure goods and services already competitively bid and awarded. The District has a threat of wildland urban interface fires similar to the conditions found in this year’s North Bay fires in Napa, Sonoma, and Solano County. The acquisition of two engines will have a positive impact on District operations and public safety. Investing in our wildland fleet will allow the District to have modern, more reliable equipment available for fires that occur in the wildland urban interface areas.