"We're excited," CFD Chief Scott Carter said. "This is [all] basically some of the equipment packages for the new fire apparatus that the council purchased back in December that was under construction this year."
A package of different sized hoses and nozzles and adapters are on the list of requested items.
"One is a hose package, which is all the different sizes of hose from a 5-inch diameter hose that we use for supply down to the very small 1-inch forestry hose that we use for small washdowns," Carter said.
A self-contained breathing apparatus and thermal imaging camera also are on the list for the council to consider.
"These are thermal imaging cameras that we utilize really for many different things," Carter said. "Primarily, they're designed for firefighting. We use them to help us locate victims in a zero visibility-type environment. It becomes our eyes inside a house fire where you can't see and it also helps us find the base of a fire faster. By being able to amplify the base of the fire faster, we can then decrease the amount of time it takes us to get to the main body of the fire and putting it out faster by reducing structure damage.
"These cameras are also used on very, very small fires. Like, if someone calls complaining of smoke in the building, [the imaging system] is one way to confirm a wiring problem and actually catch problems before they open up into a big fire."
Carter said that one of the two new engines will be going to the new Station No. 4 and the other will be rolling out of emergency services. All of the equipment is part of the standard equipment that the department began phasing onto all trucks in 2007.
"[The imaging cameras] have proven themselves time and time again in helping us reduce dollar loss and get the fires confined to a smaller area," Carter said.
As bids and testing of equipment wraps up, Carter said that the department will request their fifth piece of new equipment sometime in November.
"The last package will be our rescue extrication package," Carter said. "That's the hydraulic tools, air bags, all things that we use in entrapments. Simply put, the jaws of life."
The Cartersville council will vote on the fire equipment packages at their regularly scheduled meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in the council chambers on the third floor of city hall.