In 2013, the City of San Luis Fire Department (SLFD) was the recipient of a FEMA, Assistance to Firefighter Grant.  In addition to 34 full sets of personal protective equipment (PPE), SLFD received 22 self-contained breathing apparatus and 12 additional masks to outfit all fire suppression personnel.  The SCBA was a different brand that SLFD had previously used.  SLFD had trained and maintained factory certifications for two technicians who performed repairs, annual regulator flow, and mask fit tests.  SLFD also had purchased and maintained annual certifications on the factory equipment necessary to perform these repairs, the flow and fit tests.

The new SCBA were from a different manufacturer and therefore would require the purchase of different equipment, parts, and retraining of our technicians.  When the costs associated with the retraining of our personnel, replacement of test equipment and purchase of parts was compared to the annual costs of having a factory authorized dealer and technician team and the transfer of all liability to a third party agent, SLFD decided to cease the in-house maintenance, testing and certification of our SCBA.

SLFD still has the SCBA parts and testing equipment on hand.  This equipment was not disposed through our surplus equipment auctions, for fear of potential or future liability of use by an untrained person.  FDC Rescue Products, our vendor for our present (new) SCBA equipment is interested in acquiring our old testing equipment and parts.  FDC Rescue Products is willing to provide a $3,000.00, in-store credit for this equipment.

SLFD believes that this transaction is a fair offer and beneficial to all parties concerned. 
• The City of San Luis and SLFD has no purpose to retain this equipment; we no longer have SCBA technicians and do not service nor certify our SCBA equipment,
• Liability and ongoing certification of this equipment is assumed by FDC Rescue Products,
• SLFD will be able to obtain necessary repairs or new equipment from FDC Rescue Products, without cost, to the limits of the credit,
• This equipment has no value if retained by SLFD,
• Disposal through a surplus property sale may present some vicarious liability if sold as scrap material and then used to repair, test or certify breathing equipment.

SLFD is requesting authorization to dispose of this equipment, in exchange for an “in-store credit” of $3,000.00 at FDC Rescue Products.