Fire chief urges equipment upgrades; commissioners press applicant for air monitors, cameras and drones

Chief Beauchamp told the commission that while Comstock’s fire department has improved (ISO class 3), several key items are nearing end of service life and additional equipment would help manage incidents at a battery energy storage site. He said the department could face substantial replacement costs in future years, naming SCBAs and turnout gear among high-priority needs.

A consultant’s back-of-envelope estimate for the most-pressing items — air monitors, thermal imagers and two drones — was cited at roughly $155,000. Commissioners rejected a standalone voice siren requirement after emergency-management and fire officials warned that layered electronic notification (cell/IPAWS) is a more reliable primary notification method; the commission instead asked applicant representatives to address a prioritized equipment list. Chief Beauchamp summarized the requested package: nine air-monitoring units (three multi-gas, three PID detectors, three HF monitors), 10 thermal imaging cameras and two drones.