During the April 7 meeting, City Commissioners will be asked to approve the submission of grant applicants fro a new fire ladder truck and safety and decontamination equipment.
Great Falls Fire Rescue is asking for approval to apply for Assistance to Firefighter grants through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
One grant would replace the city’s 1996 Smeal 75-foot ladder truck with a new 107-foot ladder truck.
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The total cost of the new truck is $1.24 million. If approved for the grant, the city’s match would be about $113,727.27, according to GFFR’s staff report.
According to GFFR, the city’s current ladder truck has had some significant structural problems that required shipping the vehicle back to the manufacturer in 2004 and has been unreliable ever since and was used as a reserve apparatus since 2005, leaving GFFR with only one frontline aerial to respond to more than 540 structures that exceed ground-ladder capabilities in the department’s 26 mile response area.
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The city last purchased an aerial truck with 100-foot platform in 2010 for $867,000 to replace a 1970 truck, according to the department’s history.
Since that 2010 purchase, renovations and new construction have increased the city’s need for another aerial truck as many of buildings are taller with high occupancy.
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The new truck “could be the difference between success and disaster. For example, in the case of one fire, only the presence of a large skylight that allowed for vertical ventilation prevented a conflagration that would have spread to a high-rise bank and office building that far exceeded our 75-foot capability. As it was, the building of origin was a complete loss. The loss of that block would have devastated lives and the local economy,” according to GFFR’s grant application.
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The replacement would “improve the department’s ability to serve the community and would become one of the frontline fleet. If the grant request was honored the City would pay an estimated 10 cents on the dollar, that if spread out over the truck’s service life of 20 years would cost around $6,200.00 a year,” according to the staff report.
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GFFR is also asking for approval to submit a grant through the same program for $303,404 worth of safety and decontamination equipment.
If the city receives this grant, the city’s match would be $27,582.18, and the announcement of awards is expected in the fall, according to GFFR’s staff report.
“Cancer in the fire service is on the rise and many safety components can be implemented to reduce the risk to our personnel. Currently, GFFR has implemented a clean cab policy and post-fire rehabilitation procedures to minimize the potentials for exposure of cancer causing agents post fire,” according to GFFR.
The department still needs specialized decontamination equipment that can remove particulates from the fire hoses, turnout gear, and self-contained breathing apparatus units after a fire has been extinguished.
The diesel exhaust systems, fire hose washer, SCBA washer and turnout washers requested in the grant would complete their safety program and greatly reduce the chances of Firefighters developing cancer, according to GFFR.
Currently, none of the city fire stations have diesel exhaust systems in place to remove diesel particulates in the air when the fire engines are started and responding to calls.
The department does not currently have a mechanism to effectively decontaminate SCBA harnesses and bottles that are used in an immediately dangerous to life or health atmosphere during a fire, or any any mechanism to properly decontaminate fire hoses after a fire to remove all products of combustion from the hose.
With the addition of two personal protective gear extractors, all of the city’s fire stations would have a machine to properly decontaminate their gear after fires and return it to service quicker, according to GFFR.
“GFFR has taken significant steps to provide for a safer workspace in all of the city’s fire stations and reduce the risk of cancer to Great Falls Fire Rescue personnel. Making upgrades to the fire stations for safety equipment has been limited due to general fund dependence. To make all of the necessary upgrades, we are looking for granting opportunities to make the one-time upgrades,” according to the staff report.
The match funds for this grant would come from a supplemental budget request or the safety equipment account, according to GFFR.
