Laserfiche WebLink
Little Canada <br />Fire Department, Inc. 325 Little Canada Road East <br />Little Canada, Minnesota 55117 <br />Office: (651) 792-7680 <br />Fax: (651) 766-7092 <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />To: Mayor Fischer and Members of the City Council <br />From: Don Smiley, Fire Chief <br />Date: September 4, 2025 <br />RE: Approval of Purchase for Engine 218 Replacement <br /> <br />ACTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED: <br />Approval and authorization to purchase a replacement fire engine for Engine 218 from <br />Macqueen Emergency in the amount of $1,424,721. <br />Approve a 25% prepayment at contract signing. <br />BACKGROUND: <br /> <br />Engine 218 was put in service in 2006 and is scheduled for replacement in 2028 as <br />part of the department’s long-term capital plan. <br /> <br />To prepare for this replacement, a committee was formed to develop an updated <br />specification. The committee used the specification from the engine purchased in 2017 <br />(E220) as a base, with modifications to address current operational needs. This <br />ensures consistency with the fleet while incorporating necessary improvements. <br /> <br />The replacement has been planned for Capital Fund 457 for 2028. However, as was <br />recently experienced with the purchase of the ladder truck, both the cost of the fire <br />apparatus and the manufacturer's build times have risen dramatically. <br />ANALYSIS: <br />When first forecasted, the replacement was estimated at $988,256, based on past <br />purchases and an annual inflation factor. The current proposal is $1,424,721 with an <br />estimated build time of 48-52 months. If the order were delayed until 2028, the truck <br />would not be delivered until late 2032. Ordering now would result in delivery by late <br />2029 or early 2030 while also helping the city avoid additional cost escalations. <br />The department has also learned important lessons from past experience with the <br />ladder truck. To help with budgeting, the department extended its service life beyond <br />the planned schedule. Unfortunately, the department experienced a catastrophic <br />failure, which left the department without a ladder truck for an extended period. This <br />situation created operational challenges and emphasized the risks of delaying <br />scheduled replacements.