HomeMy WebLinkAbout7B - VFW Donation for Fire Dept. Equipment
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA #:
PREPARED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
AGENDA ITEM:
DISCUSSION:
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
NOVEMBER 2, 1998
7B
SERGEANT ROB BOE
CHIEF BILL O'ROURKE
CONSIDER APPROVAL OF A DONATION FROM THE
PRIOR LAKE VFW FOR THE PURCHASE OF EMERGENCY
COMMAND POST EQUIPMENT FOR INSTALLATION AT
PRIOR LAKE FIRE STATION #1.
History
The severe storms of early 1998 had a tremendous impact on Prior
Lake. Afterwards, representatives from fire, police, public works and
civil defense met to critique the emergency operations that went on
during the storms. This critique showed that the police and fire
departments had shifted into command post operations during the
storms and had done a large amount of their own dispatching of
service units. This operational procedure worked so well that we were
praised by Scott County emergency management and communication
officials.
However, the critique also revealed some shortcomings. The major
problem was the difficulty in communicating between the police
operations in City Hall, the fire operations from the Fire Station, and
City maintenance supervisors on the street. This was further
complicated by a lack of telephone lines at the Fire Station and the fact
that the police department was working with a limited emergency
power supply at City Hall. Even though we managed to have all the
emergency calls covered, everyone involved in the critique agreed that
it was not always as efficient and coordinated as they would have
liked.
The experience showed the need to establish one emergency command
post to coordinate the City's' response to large scale disasters. The
consensus was that such a command post should be located at Fire
Station #1 but that it would be necessary to supplement the facility
with additional radios, phone lines and other equipment.
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Civil defense was assigned to gather price estimates and report back to
the group. All departments were then going to review the costs and
begin to prepare 1999 budget requests for this equipment.
Current Circumstances
Prior Lake VFW Commander, Jody Annestad approached the Fire and
Police Chiefs with a desire to make a donation to the City as his
Commander's Project. Commander Annestad enthusiastically
endorsed the idea of funding the equipment necessary to make the
command post serviceable for the community. The VFW has raised
the money necessary to purchase this equipment and would like to
donate this money to the City of Prior Lake for this purpose.
Conclusion
A well equipped, central command post will greatly improve the
response of City resources when natural and man-made disasters affect
the City of Prior Lake in the future. The equipment will not only be
available for such use, but will also be available to the Fire Department
for day to day operations.
The City will save nearly $7,200 in equipment and service costs by
accepting this donation. The following is a listing said equipment and
servIces necessary:
· Radios, antenna, microphones and installation..........$6,327.04
· Telephone lines, installation....................................... 85.00
· Phone installation............. .................... ............... ....... 50.00
· Fax Machine............................................................... 531.44
· Dry Erase Board, 72X48............................................ 178.90
1. Adopt the donation as proposed.
2. Fund the equipment through a future budget process.
3. Not accept the donation and continue with the present emergency
operations procedures.
Motion and second to approve the acceptance of the VFW donation.
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