The
Seneca Area Fire Protection District Board called an Emergency Meeting
Thursday, October 18, 2007 at the Racine Station One........
The Board called the meeting to order at 5:00 PM all board members were present. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss the immediate need to purchase personal protective equipment for firefighters. Accord to Chief Bruce Jeffers several firefighters are needing personal protective gear, including bunker pants, coats, gloves, no-max protective hoods and boots. Chief Jeffers asked the board to purchase bunker pants and coats to outfit two firefighters that currently do not have bunker gear. The board asked Chief Jeffers what the cost would be. According to Jeffers per set the district would be paying from $ 900.00 to $ 1,200.00. Jeffers also stated that currently 6 sets of protective gear in service, is no longer NFPA compliant due to the age and condition of the gear. We currently have firefighters who need gloves, boots, No-max hoods also. The board deliberated upon the financial aspect of this request noting that the district has little funds to work with. The board went on to stated that this needed protective gear is the basic essentials of firefighting and they would fine a means to purchase two sets of bunker pants and coats,
The next item on the agenda to be discussed was the bond issue for new apparatus to be placed on the April Ballot. The board decided to place this issue on the table for November meeting. This would allow them time to call a bonding company out of Kansas City and set up a time where they could come and explain the process to the board and interested parties. The meeting will be announce in the local media of when and where it will take place.
Chief Jeffers took the floor and explained to the board members that the Seneca Fire Protection District was still in the running to receive the AFG grant. This grant if awarded to the department would help purchases needed protective equipment. According to Jeffers it could be sometime next spring before we hear from them.
Other issue that was briefly mentioned was Engine 2 which was taken out of service earlier this year do to mechanical failure which was to costly to repair. At this time the board is concerned that due to funding constraints this engine will not be replaced. Discussion of the financial burden already being incurred by the department only leaves us with one choice. That is to maintain what we have currently the best as we can, knowing that a high percentage of the equipment is at an age that it is continually costing more each year to maintain.
The meeting was adjourned.
The November meeting will be announced as soon as a date is set.
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