County opens sealed bids for SCBA air packs; fire chief reports uptick in calls

Geary County commissioners opened sealed bids for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) air packs tied to a federal grant, county emergency management director and fire chief Gary Burgess said during the meeting.

Burgess told commissioners staff had attempted a single-source purchase that was overbudget and then solicited sealed bids from two local Scott Airpack dealers. He listed the equipment requested: 69 air packs, 138 cylinders (two per pack), hard cases, multiple face-mask sizes and storage bags to protect masks in vehicles. Burgess announced the first sealed bid came from Phil Fire and indicated an anticipated June delivery; he said the second bid came from MES, which offered an annual flow-testing rate of $40 per pack going forward. "We received bids back from both of them. They are sealed bids, so we'll go ahead and open them at this time," Burgess said.

Because the transcript record of dollar amounts was not clear, Burgess said staff would take the bids back for comparison and return with a recommendation later that day or at the next commission meeting. "We will take these back and look at them and come back for recommendation to you," he said.

Burgess also provided a departmental activity update: year-to-date fire calls were 18 compared with 10 at the same time last year; February had 10 calls, including two major incidents. He described mutual-aid responses assisting Junction City on the Stone Ridge and Bluffs apartment fires, and said the department used a water shuttle that moved about 20,000 gallons during operations. Burgess said an ISO inspection took place on Feb. 9 and that jurisdictions had approved a regional mitigation plan. He also announced a free storm-spotter training for the public on March 16.

Commissioners asked about displacement from the Bluffs apartment fire; Burgess said roughly five families were affected, the Red Cross and military assisted, and an official cause had not yet been released. Staff will review the sealed SCBA bids and report back with a recommendation.