CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Change Order #1 to Cooperative Procurement 22-331, Fire Gear, to Alexis Fire (Innotex Corp.), for an amount not to exceed $400,000 and a total award of $500,000
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DEPARTMENT: Fire Department
SUBMITTED BY: Mark Puknaitis, Fire Chief
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Naperville Fire Department provides each firefighter with a complete set of structural firefighting gear as part of the complement of protective equipment. This protective equipment, known as turnout gear, is durable, fire-resistant clothing worn by firefighters while responding to fires and includes firefighting pants, a coat, a nomex hood, and firefighting gloves. The equipment is used by every member as is directed by policy and supported by appropriate training, care, and maintenance standards, and used on every fire and vehicle accident response.
DISCUSSION:
In January 2023, the City Council approved cooperative 032620-INO for the purchase of Turn-out gear. The current turnout gear has been found to contain poly-fluoroalkyl substances, otherwise known as PFAS/PFOA. These "forever chemicals" have been found to cause increased rates of liver, kidney, and other cancers.
The International Association of Firefighters has begun a class action lawsuit aimed at removing all firefighter gear that contains these chemicals and holding accountable the parties involved in producing the chemicals. The chemicals are found to react to UV light and high heat, which causes the chemicals to break down and off-gas, which leads to the cancer association.
Manufacturers of firefighting gear have now begun producing gear that is PFAS / PFOA free for the shells only. The shells of the gear pose the greatest identified threat to firefighters as they are directly exposed to light and heat. The liners still contain the forever chemicals and will need to be replaced as permanent PFAS / PFOA-free gear becomes available.
Currently, ...
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