Minutes - 2006/06/12 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council June 12, 2006 Regular Meeting Page 12 . 10. Ayes - 3 Nays - 0 Motion carried. I. Resolution 6838, resolution of Approving Proposals for Technology and Electronics Package for SBM Fire Station #3 Fire Chief Zikmund said there are four bid packages before the Council tonight, that all four items were all part of the original package as proposed, and budget amounts cover these proposals. He said there is about $100,000 contingency and the project is on schedule and said he will explain. the budget. Fire Chief Zikmund noted the Driving Simulator, proposed by L-3 Communications. He said that he and other Police Department Staff traveled to Las Vegas, NV, to discuss the simulator with organizations that owned them. He said the simulator includes a truck module, similar to the fire and public works trucks, and a sedan console that simulates the Crown Victoria. Fire Chief Zikmund said the second console is an additional $35,000. Fire Chief Zikmund explained that the department envisions uses by all four departments. He said the fire department will likely use the simulator four times a year. He said the simulator will not teach an individual how to drive, but how to think when behind the wheel. He said it is a critical skill that needs to be improved on. He added that his team, the fire department, has • experienced two at-fault accidents, which are expensive. He said the simulator teaches drivers to think ahead and cut down on accidents. He said that testing in the trucking industry, which is the largest user of this simulator, indicates that there has been a 42% reduction in accidents of end users. Fire Chief Zikmund said the simulator would suffice for 2 out of 3 years of defensive driving training. He said there is one simulator in Alexandria, and it is not conducive to send officers up there or have the simulator shipped. He said there is a space for the simulator in the building, but it will require additional cooling. Councilmember Flaherty asked if there is only one in the State, and Fire Chief Zikmund replied that is correct. Councilmember Flaherty asked if the Alexandria Police Department's accident rate is lower. Fire Chief Zikmund replied that the simulator is at the Alexandria Technical College, not at the Police Department, and he cannot answer the question. He stated that the Alexandria Technical College does not have any statistics and the only data he would consider valid is that from the trucking industry. Councilmember Flaherty said his thoughts about defensive driving classes are that those who take the course retain more by driving in a course and asked if this simulator will have a greater value than a course. Fire Chief Zikmund replied that the simulator has a completely programmable system that has urban, suburban, and rural settings, that it has 35 different • vehicles programmed into the database, and that there is an infinite number of stable object and programmable moving objects.