This contract is for the procurement of personal protective equipment from Bennett Fire Products Company (195 Stockwood Drive, Suite 170, Woodstock, GA)(D) in the amount of $708,000. Savannah Fire received the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) in 2020 to purchase a second set of turnout gear ensembles for all members. This one-time purchase is being procured by utilizing the current contract for protective equipment that the City has with Bennet Fire Products. City Council approved an annual personal protective equipment contract with Bennet Fire on May 26, 2022, that is for the replacement of old worn-out equipment.

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) study results, firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14 percent higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population. Having a second set of personal protective equipment allows firefighters' protective equipment to be cleaned after working in a fire and having a second clean set to use reduces members' exposure to harmful carcinogens. Bennett Fire Products Company will provide standardized structural firefighting personal protective equipment for the City of Savannah's firefighters. 

Approval