Shreveport City Council began the process of funding the purchase of a number of new vehicles for the city’s fire department on Friday.
The order, introduced by Councilor Grayson Boucher, Tabatha Taylor and James Green, will reallocate $ 3,275,000 from the city’s operating reserve fund to the fire department for three new fire trucks and other emergency vehicles .
The need to relocate became even more evident last weekend, when the SFD eruption of recent SFD equipment failures, including a truck fire last weekend. As a result, the city had to borrow a truck from the city of Bossier service and vehicles from the Balentine ambulance service.
Shreveport Fire Chief Scott Wolverton told KEEL on Tuesday, “Our fleet is in terrible shape,” adding that despite the recent addition of three new engines, the city’s fleet is deteriorating. “Only nine of our 21 frontline engines are under 15. Only 12 are under 25,” he said.
The measure is expected to be presented at the council meeting on August 12 and will be put to a vote on August 24.
The order, which should pass easily, will pay for three new fire trucks, a medical unit, two EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) suits, cargo hold equipment and CPR devices.
In a Facebook post on Friday, City Councilor Boucher highlighted how long the new equipment is overdue:
I am proud to sponsor, along with Councilors Taylor and Councilor Green, this legislation to fund 3 new fire trucks, 1 new medical unit and additional much-needed equipment for the citizens of Shreveport and the brave members of the Fire Department of Shreveport. . We will introduce this bill on Tuesday and the final vote will take place in two weeks. With this bill and its approval, we will have significantly reduced the overall age of the fleet. 6 new engines and 2 used engines with very few kilometers and pumping hours. We are not there yet, but we are at least moving!
Second, the SPD has taken delivery of many of the new patrol units, traffic units and other undercover units. My goal over the next month is to make a budget amendment to ensure that every agent who lives in Shreveport can have a take-out vehicle. This will reduce the wear and tear of the units and greatly increase the life of these vehicles and reduce all maintenance costs.
Patience is difficult, I like to see things move much faster than in government, but this mess was not created overnight and it cannot and will not be corrected overnight. All I can say is that at least we have some progress.
As always, God bless our first responders and protect them!
