Planning for future needs related to new engines and other apparatus was presented by Fire Chief Justin Lee to the City Commission during Monday night’s special meeting.
The department’s new strategic plan includes goals related to establishing a standard of cover, which is a plan to help identify risks in the community and ensure the department is able to respond in a timely way with its resources.
The strategic plan also called for the department to have an apparatus replacement plan, which is industry standard to have, Lee said.
Bids will be going out to have a standard of cover created for the department, Lee said. Another goal for the department is getting a site for firefighters to train. Lee said he has been working with the city manager’s office to eventually have a training facility near public works as part of a capital improvement plan. It would also function as a location for a recruit academy, he said.
Lee said making sure to discuss the apparatus plan now is important for several reasons. It helps create financial planning, increase public safety, avoid last-minute decisions, reduce political tensions and increase morale within the department and city.
The department currently has two engines. One is a 2018 Rosenbauer, and the other is a 2001 E-One. The department also has a 2001 brush truck (also used as an EMS response vehicle) and two chiefs’ vehicles – one from 2018 and another from 2020. Lee noted that he and Assistant Chief Chris Hull keep a full complement of EMS equipment and some rescue equipment in their vehicles.
It’s estimated the engines last around 20 years, a quint 20-25 years, brush truck 20 years and command/EMS/chief vehicles 12 years. Some of the vehicles in the department’s fleet are getting close to the estimated end-of-life, so the schedule will help spread out new purchases.
Lee is also recommending the city invest its money into purchasing a quint, instead of a traditional engine like they have now. A quint is a bigger truck that has a built-in ladder rather than having to take ladders off the engine to place against the building each time they are needed. It also has the water-pumping abilities of an engine. It can go to more calls than a traditional engine.
It’s expected a quint can also last longer because they would run it less, Lee said.
Lee presented ideas for spreading out the purchasing of new engines to make it realistic for the city. The plan includes a new quint coming to the department possibly in 2028, which Lee said is just an estimation and could be moved forward as well.
The plan also includes a new brush truck in 2027. The goal is to maintain two major apparatus and stagger the major purchases. One was purchased in 2018, so another could be planned for 2028.
Following the presentation, Commissioners Tim Bruce and Roberta Lehmann agreed the ideas sounded straightforward.
Commissioner Alex Curnes said it seems like a good idea for the city to have a quint-style engine and said it’s “kind of crazy” the city doesn’t already have a ladder truck with its multi-story properties. He said he sees the need for something like this.
Curnes asked if this kind of new truck would also help with mutual aid requests from Panasonic or could help if there was some kind of train disaster/emergency near Eudora.
Lee said a quint would help with response to Panasonic and would be equipped to handle the small section of K-10 Eudora has, gas stations and other multi-story buildings.
Curnes asked if a quint would require any different staffing than what the department has, but Lee said it would be about the same. Curnes also wanted to confirm the new truck would fit into the public safety building since it is longer, and Lee said it would.
Mayor Tim Reazin agreed he sees the need for a quint and said there is a need to figure out funding options for it. He also agreed there is a need for a secondary EMS vehicle.
He said he isn’t sure the department could get any valuable sales from the 2001 engine they have, so it could be kept for a back-up in case it’s needed when another engine is down.
Lee also said the department has been able to do some good training in the old house across from the elementary school. Since the building will be torn down in preparation for the building of Pascal’s Landing apartments, the department was offered the building to use.
It’s led to good training for the department, Lee said.
When the department receives its standard of cover, it will have to give more objectives and firm up an apparatus plan, Lee said. He expects that to be done by the end of the year.
