9.g Fire Department Compressor replacementStaff'Repo
Date of Meeting: September 05, 2018
To: City Council
From: Mike Hinz, Fire Chief
Re: SCBA Compressor Replacement
Background:
The SCBA compressor is used to fill self-contained breathing air packs during fires & training. It is also used to
refill the cascade system in Rescue 1. The Compressor is on the CIP plan for replacement in 2017. This unit is
serviced annually and also tested annually for air quality. The current unit was purchased in 2001 with a 15 year life
expectancy. It was scheduled to be replaced in 2017, but waited due to cost and Finding best price.
Issue:
Should the SCBA compressor be replaced?
• Compressor has surpassed the expected life of 500 hours.
• During the last service the service tech, stated that the oil usage & leaks are increasing, noise levels are also
very high.
• Current guarding does not meet OSHA standards (we have been sited on this in past mock inspection).
• New compressor would be capable of 6,OOOpsi; this would allow the department to fill more air packs to full
during a fire.
• With the new standards about cancer we now wear air packs during the entire incident. Each bottle will last
20-30 minutes, so a 4 hour fire will use about 96 bottles of air.
• New compressor would also allow us to use the fill station on Rescue 1 to its full potential, as they are
already 6000psi bottles that we only fill to 5000psi.
• To achieve the full benefit of the new compressor we would also replace 5 cascade cylinders at the
compressor.
• The compressor size we are looking at has an option to include an enclosure that would dramatically reduce
the noise level and heat generated while the compressor is running.
• Noise is a major concern the non -enclosed unit is about 90dBA while the enclosed unit is only 70dBA
(Refrigerator = 50dBA, Washing machine = 70dBA & alarm clock = 80dBA)
• 85dBA is the limit before OSHA requires a hearing conservation program & testing
• I have requested quotes from 3 Bauer vendors; only one has submitted a quote.
• This quote is part of the NPPgov purchasing program.
Proposal Details:
Option 1 - Purchase new enclosed compressor and 5 replacement storage bottles installed.
Option 2 — Purchase new enclosed compressor only installed.
Option 3 — Purchase open enclosure compressor and 5 replacement storage bottles installed.
Option 4 — Purchase open enclosure compressor only installed.
Fiscal Impact:
CIP plan allotted $17,000, this estimate was low.
Option 1 = $27,640.00 (savings of $1,043.50 vs. purchasing cascade cylinders later)
Option 2 = $21,133.50
Option 3 = $25,850.00 (savings of $1,796.60 vs. purchasing cascade cylinders later)
Option 4 = $20,096.60
Options:
Option 1
Bauer Mini Verticus 6000psi compressor (5scfm, 5hp, 3 stage pump, enclosed cabinet & 230v single
phase) & 5 new ISO 6000psi cascade cylinders
Option 2
Bauer Mini Verticus 6000psi compressor (5scfm, 5hp, 3 stage pump, enclosed cabinet & 230v single
phase) & NOT change the 5 cascade bottles this year.
Option 3
Bauer Vertecon 6000psi compressor (5scfm, 5hp, 3 stage pump, open design & 230v single phase) & 5
new ISO 6000psi cascade cylinders
Option 4
Bauer Vertecon 6000psi compressor (5scfm, 5hp, 3 stage pump, open design & 230v single phase) &
NOT change the 5 cascade cylinders this year
Recommendation:
Option 1; Will reduce noise levels and heat in SCBA room & will be cheaper in the long run. Recommend a 20
year replacement schedule.