Finance Committee discusses fire equipment

The Weirton Finance Committee voted to recommend to council the purchase of bunker gear for the Weirton Fire Department.

Fire Chief Dave Lashhorn said his department has done an inventory of all the stations and are utilizing the gear currently available. He stated the National Fire Prevention Association now recommends gear be replaced approximately every seven years. He said purchasing this equipment for future replacement would help put the Weirton Fire Department ahead of the curve.

"I think we did a good job at getting 10 years' use out of the equipment," he said of the current equipment.

Lashhorn said the purchase, amounting to a previously budgeted cost of $60,000, would give the department 30 sets of bunker pants with an internal harness for an additional $5,100 altogether, already included in the price quote. He said when taking into consideration that each set of bunker pants costs approximately $500 additional per pair, getting the equipment for that price is "worthwhile."

Lashhorn stated he once again had only one bidder for the purchase. He said a typical problem among vendors is not every vendor working with fire departments has the same equipment.

Finance Committee member George Kondik said making the purchase with the harnesses in the bunker pants is an approximated savings of $77 per pair. He and Committee member George Ash moved and seconded a motion to send the resolution on to council with a recommendation to approve.

(Dickson can be contacted at adickson@weirtondailytimes.com)