Minn. Fire Department Uses Contract Purchasing to Replace Two Trucks with One

When Brainerd, Minn., Fire Department leaders wanted to upgrade their 1983, 95-foot platform truck and 2007, 75-foot ladder truck, they turned to the Sutphen Corporation and its contract with Sourcewell.

The department purchased a 2020 Sutphen SPH-100 Aerial Platform – a vehicle that, essentially, did the work of two in one. The truck features a 100-foot platform with a 2,000 GPM pump, 400 gallons of onboard water with 20 gallons of foam, and six riding positions with SCBA mounting built in for five of those seats.

Brainerd Fire Chief Tim Holmes said his department has utilized Sourcewell contracts in the past for a variety of purchases; however, this was the first fire truck purchased off a competitively-awarded contract.

“In my opinion, going through the bid process, you’re not always comparing apples to apples,” Holmes said. “With contract purchasing, all that’s already laid out. You don’t have to go out to bid, it saves a ton of time.”

Sourcewell offers over 400 cooperative contracts, including public-safety related equipment and supplies. And through FireRescue GPO, Sourcewell financially supports fire chiefs associations throughout the country – including the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

“The contracts are already vetted through the program you’re using,” Holmes said, “so you know you’re getting the best price and it just takes a lot of that guesswork out of it.”

Since being put into action, the aerial platform truck has earned its keep, including a roof fire at a local high school and the rescue of an individual from a billboard suffering from a medical condition.

When phasing out and replacing aged, inadequate equipment, Holmes said the rewards go far beyond time and cost savings. “Having a reliable piece of equipment or apparatus just really gives us peace of mind that we can get to where we’re needed and perform at our peak.”