5.3. SR 12-07-2009 - Laserfiche WebLink

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REQUEST FOR ACTION To Ci Council Item Number 5.3. Agenda Section Meeting Date Prepared by Administration December 7, 2009 T. ohn Cunnin ham, Fire Chief Item Description Reviewed by Authorization to Advertise for Bids for Fire Department Heavy Lori Johnson, City Administrator; Tim Rescue Vehicle Simon, Finance Director; and Mark Thom son, Fleet Committee Chairman Action Requested The Elk River Fire Department is requesting authorization to advertise for bids for a new heavy rescue truck to replace the Department's front-line vehicle. Background/Discussion The Department's truck committee has finalized the specifications for the new vehicle and is ready to proceed with advertising, beginning Saturday, December 12, 2009 in accordance with State law. The replacement of this vehicle is slated for the 2010 budget year. Due to changes in engine emissions standards in 2010, the Department is hoping to avoid a significant price increase of approximately $15,000 by opening bids prior to the end of 2009 as previously discussed with the Council during the 2010-2014 Capital Improvement Plan work session. A search of existing State and Federal contracts did not produce any results based upon the Department's specifications and it will be necessary to solicit bids through a competitive process. The Elk River Fire Department's Truck Committee, comprised of senior staff members, officers, and firefighters, has been meeting regularly over the past few months to develop specifications for the replacement of Rescue 1, the Department's front line rescue vehicle. The current vehicle is over 15 years old and is no longer suitable as a front line response vehicle to meet the Department's expanding needs with respect to handling technical rescue incidents. One of the significant challenges of the current vehicle is the lack of suitable, and safe, storage space to hold equipment. The design of the new truck will provide much needed storage space to hold rescue tools, equipment, and personnel. Currently, over 21% of the total number of emergency calls the Elk River Fire Department responds to are rescue calls. Over the past four year period, the Department has seen a steady increase in the number of rescue calls (in 2006, the Department responded to 69 rescue calls or approximately 15%). In many instances, the Fire Department must rapidly extricate victims from a vehicle and provide life-saving medical support. Due to changes in vehicle construction and technology, our personnel are encountering new obstacles which require more specialized equipment to cut through thicker steel and sheet metal. This truck will be the primary response vehicle for handling such incidents including protecting the many miles of rail line that passes through the City. The vehicle will also hold the Department's rope/confined space rescue equipment and water rescue gear. The Fire Department's current rescue truck will be transferred to the Police Department to replace their SWAT/special operations truck. Upon authorization by the Mayor and City Council, an advertisement for an Invitation to Bid will be posted in the local paper on Saturday, December 12, 2009. Sealed bids will be received and opened on C:\Documents and Settings\jmiller\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\OLK3E\City Council -Authorization to Bid (2).doc