Title
Report regarding a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a purchasing agreement on behalf of the City of South San Francisco with Diamondback Fire and Rescue, Inc. in the amount of $85,491.13 to purchase two complete sets of vehicle extrication equipment; approve Budget Amendment Number 26.028 to the Fire Department operating budget in an amount not to exceed $44,204.13; authorize the appropriation of $19,662.96 of available fund balance from the Fire Public Safety Impact Fee Fund (Fund 821); and authorize the appropriation of $24,541.17 of designated fund balance of developer impact fees from the Genesis North Tower development (account 270-27475)(Devin Flannery, Deputy Fire Chief).
label
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a purchasing agreement on behalf of the City of South San Francisco with Diamondback Fire and Rescue, Inc. in the amount of $85,491.13 to purchase two complete sets of vehicle extrication equipment; approve Budget Amendment Number 26.028 to the Fire Department operating budget in an amount not to exceed $44,204.13; authorize the appropriation of $19,662.96 of available fund balance from the Fire Public Safety Impact Fee Fund (Fund 821); and authorize the appropriation of $24,541.17 of designated fund balance of developer impact fees from the Genesis North Tower development (account 270-27475) (Devin Flannery, Deputy Fire Chief).
Body
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The Fire Department responds to a variety of emergencies, ranging from structure fires, hazardous material incidents, emergency medical service calls, and vehicle collisions. During some of the complex vehicle collisions, patients require extrication from the involved vehicles, which can include technical and comprehensive processes. With the continued evolution of technology focusing on enhancing passenger safety, vehicles are now designed to crumple and fold upon impact to preserve the passenger compartment. While this results in a reduction of force transferred to the vehicle’s passengers, it also results in an increase in passenger entrapments as the vehicles components such as doors and windows are compromised and no longer function as a means of egress. When this occurs, firefighters are required to have tools that can quickly and efficiently access the vehicle passengers and provide care for injured individuals. Extrication tools are required to be compact, durable, and adaptable to the emergency scene. The Fire Department currently uses hydraulic equipment that requires a large gas-powered portable hydraulic power unit with 25-foot hydraulic lines. To successfully operate existing extrication tools, Fire Department personnel are required to physically move close to 200 pounds of equipment and position them within 25 feet of the involved vehicles. The current operation requires numerous personnel, is time consuming, and results in exhaust from the gas-powered hydraulic unit being discharged in the emergency scene.
The Fire Department currently operates a complete set of extrication equipment on each of the two quint apparatus. As these apparatus function as truck companies, both are required to maintain the capability of vehicle extrication. Both quints utilize extrication equipment that was grant funded in 2010. This equipment was purchased to replace similar equipment that was over 15 years old and was no longer meeting the demands of modern passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicle safety technology continues to increase and now utilizes materials that require stronger, more powerful extrication equipment to defeat. The existing sets have served the Department well for the past 15 years, but with the continuing evolution of passenger vehicle safety technology, their current capability is no longer able to meet the forces needed to overcome new hardened metals found in newer vehicles.
As passenger vehicle safety technology improves, extrication equipment manufacturers continue to improve their products to stay current with demands of the automotive industry. Additionally, these manufacturers have made measurable improvements in extrication tool operations and safety features for firefighters and patients. Maintaining the current 15-year replacement practice, Fire Department staff have evaluated the additional improvements in extrication equipment technology and have determined that in order to remain operationally ready and able to meet the current demands of the modern passenger vehicle, it is recommended that both sets of extrication equipment be replaced on the Department’s two quints.
As part of the evaluation process to determine the need for replacement of extrication equipment, Fire Department staff researched improvements to currently available equipment and compared them to our current cache. Modern extrication equipment has evolved and now provides numerous significant operational benefits for both the firefighters and involved vehicle passengers. The most significant improvement in the new equipment includes the elimination of gas-powered hydraulic units as the new tools are battery powered. This has eliminated the need for a large gas-powered unit and accompanying hydraulic hoses. In addition to the environmental benefits of not using fossil fuels, the Department also realizes three significant operational benefits including: (1) reduction in the number of tools needed per apparatus (from four down to three) to maintain the same capability; (2) increased apparatus storage space with the elimination of the power unit, hydraulic hoses, and one tool; and (3) improved deployment of the tools to an emergency scene as they are no longer tethered to a hydraulic power unit. Finally, modern extrication equipment is designed to operate with the forces needed to defeat the technological advances of the automotive industry.
In preparation to replace extrication equipment found on both quint apparatus, Fire Department staff reached out to the three leading manufacturers and obtained specification information, warranty information, performance information, and cost of their respective products. Through analysis of this information, Fire Department staff identified two of the three manufacturers for further research, including the ability for our personnel to have an onsite demonstration using actual vehicles to test the equipment, AMKUS Rescue Systems (AMKUS) and HURST. The third manufacturer was not selected as the cost of their product was double the cost of their competitors. The two onsite demonstrations provided valuable opportunities for Fire Department personnel to evaluate the functionality of the equipment from AMKUS and HURST, ultimately resulting in a recommended manufacturer.
Fire Department staff identified five personnel with experience utilizing extrication equipment on emergency scenes. These five personnel participated in a three-hour demonstration with each manufacturer. During these demonstrations, the participating fire personnel were provided detailed information about the equipment and then given the opportunity to utilize the tools on vehicles the Department acquired specifically for these two evaluations. Participating personnel were then required to submit the findings of their evaluations to be included in the final recommendation. Categories used to evaluate the extrication equipment and scores provided to each manufacturer by the evaluators can be found in the table below:
|
Manufacturer |
Weight |
Manipulation |
Accessories |
Batteries |
Power |
|
AMKUS |
5 |
4 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
HURST |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
4 |
1-Strongly Disagree, 2-Disagree, 3-Neutral, 4-Agree, 5-Strongly Agree
As a result of these evaluations, a few key differences between the two manufacturers were identified. The AMKUS products were noticeably easier for the evaluators to use based on weight and the ability to manipulate the tools. These same tools also outperformed the other manufacturer when compared to spreading force and spreading distance, providing a measurable operational benefit. Lastly, the AMKUS products utilize a commonly available battery that can be sourced at a local hardware store, eliminating the requirement to purchase proprietary, and much more costly, batteries direct from the manufacturer.
Regarding the price difference between the two manufacturers, both submitted formal quotations with like quantities and types of equipment. The difference in cost between the two is minimal, with AMKUS costing an additional $150. The Department expects to recoup this difference with the savings through the battery replacement process, as the cost to replace for AMKUS is significantly less compared to the replacement cost for HURST.
Once Fire Department staff identified AMKUS as the preferred manufacturer from the evaluation process, an attempt was made to obtain formal price quotations from numerous vendors. Staff was advised that a single vendor holds exclusive distribution rights for the AMKUS equipment throughout California. Diamondback Fire and Rescue Inc. is the sole distributor of AMKUS equipment in our service area. A confirmation letter is provided in Attachment A.
FISCAL IMPACT
During the current fiscal year’s budgetary approval process, the Fire Department was initially approved to purchase one full set of extrication equipment. As the budgetary approval process continued, Fire Department staff were directed by City Council to identify additional funding for a second full set of extrication equipment. Fire Department staff were able to identify Public Safety Impact Fees and Developer Impact Fees, that, when combined with the initial approved budget for one full set of extrication equipment, provide the funding needed for two full sets. Fire Department staff are requesting approval to appropriate available fund balance from the Fire Public Safety Impact Fee Fund (Fund 821) and designated fund balance of developer impact fees from the Genesis North Tower development (account 270-27475) to provide funding for the second full set of extrication equipment as part of the funding formula as shown in the graph below. The total request to increase the Department’s operating budget and purchase a second set of extrication equipment is for $44,204.13.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
This request is in alignment with the City’s Climate Action Plan in that by 2045 the City has set the goal of returning to carbon neutrality through the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The request is also in alignment with the major focus area of Modern and Sustainable Organization by providing Fire Department personnel with modern safety tools.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a purchasing agreement on behalf of the City of South San Francisco with Diamondback Fire and Rescue, Inc. in the amount of $85,491.13 to purchase two complete sets of vehicle extrication equipment; approve Budget Amendment Number 26.028 to the Fire Department operating budget in an amount not to exceed $44,204.13; authorize the appropriation of $19,662.96 of available fund balance from the Fire Public Safety Impact Fee Fund (Fund 821); and authorize the appropriation of $24,541.17 of developer impact fees from the Genesis North Tower development (account 270-27475).