The Oak Ridge City Council approved the purchase of five new equipped police vehicles.
Two of the five new vehicles will replace some old ones, bringing the Oak Ridge Police Department's fleet up to 78.
The council also approved the purchase of 42 cylinders of compressed, filtered air used by Oak Ridge Fire Department firefighters during emergency situations.
The city will pay an estimated $351,307 for both purchases, but expects to recoup the costs of the air cylinders.
Councilmember Ellen Smith asked for the purchases to be pulled from the consent agenda during last Tuesday's Council meeting so there would be discussion and residents could learn about the city's investment into police and fire protection, as well as the safety of the employees who provide that protection.
The police department will purchase and equip three Ford F-150 Responders and two Ford Police Interceptor Utility Explorers at a cost of approximately $305,377, according to a memo to City Manager Mark Watson from Police Sgt. Matt Johnston. Two of the F-150s will be assigned to the department's patrol division and the third to the criminal investigation division.
The two Explorers will be divided between the patrol and support services' divisions of the police department.
Under state contract pricing, the base cost of the vehicles is $202,138, with $103,239 for equipping the vehicles with emergency equipment such as lights, radios, cameras and laptops. Some equipment will also be reused from the department vehicles being replaced.
The police department has 57 officers, including Police Chief Robin Smith, according to Lauren Gray, the city's senior communications specialist. The city budget for this fiscal year, she said, includes money to employ 64.
Minimum staffing for each patrol shift is five officers and one supervisor, although the number working during a shift could be higher. Gray said in an email that the actual numbers on patrol aren't listed publicly for security purposes.
The city is purchasing 30 cylinders of compressed, filtered air for self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBAs) for the fire department at a price of $38,190, which is $60 cheaper than the price quoted during last Tuesday's city council meeting, according to Gray. The Fire Department has purchased a dozen 10-minute SCBA packs, which includes the cylinders of compressed air, for $7,740. The total cost of these purchases for the fire department is $45,930.
"These are just escape packs for backup during confined space rescues if the rescuer lost supplied air," Gray stated. The 30 spare cylinders would be used for the usual emergency response by firefighters, excluding emergency medical services (EMS). The city plans to buy 30 more next year.
The cylinders are replacements. According to a memo from Fire Chief Travis Solomon to the city manager, the Fire Department's spare SCBA cylinders are at or near their maximum service life of 15 years, as regulated by the manufacturer, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Department of Transportation. More cylinders will reach their service life next year.
"These cylinders are vital to firefighter safety and are used in SCBAs to protect a firefighter's respiratory system during hazardous operations," Solomon stated in the memo.
The money for the cylinders is being taken out of the city's replacement fund, but the city has sent a request to the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) to recover the costs under a cooperative agreement.
The Oak Ridger's News Editor Donna Smith can be contacted at (865) 220-5514 or by email at dsmith@oakridger.com. Follow her on Twitter @ridgernewsed.