Middletown to purchase new firefighter gear

Middletown is planning to replace more than a dozen sets of firefighting turnout gear.

The Division of Fire is requesting to replace 13 full sets of turnout gear along with fire gloves, boots, and helmets due to damage and/or age of gear, according to Samantha Zimmerman, the city’s purchasing agent. In addition, she said approximately 15 pieces of fire gear will be assessed and repaired as needed in this request.

Zimmerman said this request will allow the Division of Fire to be proactive in replacing gear on a schedule that does not require large amounts of gear to be replaced all at once.

She said the Division of Fire has completed the process of inspecting, documenting and cataloging the protective equipment that firefighters use for structural firefighting. In that process, 13 sets of pants and coats were identified as those that had exceeded the 10-year use life limits, per the National Fire Protection Association standards.

At its Oct. 16 meeting, City Council will give its final approval to spend $40,000 to purchase new firefighting turnout gear and repairs from Phoenix Outfitters of Springfield. The company is the city’s current supplier and has Middletown’s turnout gear specifications on file. In addition, the company uses Ohio state term schedules for its pricing, according to Zimmerman.

The turnout gear and repairs were already in the 2018 budget.

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