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TO: Mayor Thomas J. Weisner
FROM: Lt. Mike Abbs # 912 and Sgt. Dan Eppard # 413
DATE: 1-19-16
SUBJECT:title
Recommendation to solicit bids to provide approx. 71 Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kits (MRK110) to equip Aurora Police squad cars.
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PURPOSE:
The purpose is to solicit bids from qualified businesses to provide the needed equipment at the best price to the City of Aurora.
BACKGROUND:
During the last few years there have been several incidents of officers being involved in water rescues. These sometimes involve a vehicle being driven into a body of water and other times involve citizens winding up in the water by other means. Currently the police department has no equipment to assist in a shore based water rescue and officers have had no other option than to enter the water to attempt to rescue victims. This practice has the potential of being very dangerous. An officer may not realize until it is too late that they are unable to swim in uniform while trying to rescue an individual who may be panicking and thrashing. Police officers are almost always on the scene of these incidents prior to the fire department's arrival. As a result they are apt to be in a position to potentially save lives in these situations when time is critical. Officers have been injured and nearly injured while involved in these incidents.
DISCUSSION:
The police department has identified the Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kit (MRK110) as the ideal rescue kit for squad cars. It is the only kit that we have identified that contains an inflatable rescue stick, inflatable personal floatation device and 75’ throw bag. Due to the inflatable nature of these items they fit into a military grade ATA case that fits into the storage units of all squad cars. The kit will allow an officer to throw the victim the inflatable rescue stick to help stabilize the victim and provide them with floatation. The officer could then deploy the throw bag to retrieve the victim and in most cases would not need to enter the water. As a last resort the kit contains an inflatable personal floatation device that the officer could don and deploy if they need to enter the water.
The City of Aurora Police Department secured the 2015 Edward Byrne Memorial Grant in 2015. The total amount of the grant is $65,758. $32,076.80 of this is for the City of Aurora. The remaining funds are to be distributed to our disparate agencies - the City of Elgin and the Kane County Sheriff's Department. The City has been approved by the Department of Justice to use $28,613.08 toward the purchase of water rescue equipment. We initially wanted to purchase 100 sets of equipment, and thought the funds would be able to cover this. Further research, however, leads us to believe that approx. 71 sets could be purchased with this amount of funds. This will allow us to equip a high percentage of our marked squad cars with the water rescue kit.
Lt. William Hull will be submitting a budget amendment to account for the 2015 Byrne grant funds. $65,758 will be added to expense account 101-3536-421.50-50 and revenue account 101-3536-331.02-01.
Should the lowest responsible bidder provide us with a bid that is lower than expected, we would like to purchase more than 71 sets of the equipment. If the grant funds would allow us to purchase a fraction of a kit (for example, the grant funds would allow 71.5 kits to be purchased from the lowest responsible bidder), we would plan to fund the balance of that kit's cost with general fund 101-3536-421.61-40.
IMPACT STATEMENT:
The impact of this purchase should be an increase to the safety of the public and of the members of the Aurora Police Department.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Finance Committee approval to solicit bids for approx. 71 Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kits (MRK110)
cc: Alderman O’Connor, Chairman
Alderman Mervine
Alderman Bohman
Alderman Peters, Alternate
CITY OF AURORA, ILLINOIS
BID RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL BY THE FINANCE COMMITTEE
The Finance Committee at their Regularly Scheduled Meeting on _________________ Recommended Approval of:
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Recommendation to solicit bids to provide approx. 71 Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kits (MRK110) to equip Aurora Police squad cars.
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WHEREAS; The Police Department desires to solicit bids for the purchase of approx. 71 Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kits (MRK110) to equip Aurora Police squad cars using 2015 Edward Byrne Memorial Grant funds and, if necessary, a small amount (less than $400) from the Aurora Police Department general fund account 101-3536-421.61-40.
WHEREAS; Funds in the amount of $28,613.08 will be available in account 101-3536-421.50-50 upon submission and approval of a budget amendment.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RECOMMENDED that the Finance Committee of the City of Aurora, Illinois does hereby authorize its Purchasing Director to develop the necessary specifications and invite and advertise for bids for approx. 71 Mustang Survival First Responder Water Rescue Kits (MRK110).
AYES ____ NAYS ____ NOT VOTING ____ ABSENT ____
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Chairman Alderman
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Alderman