DATE: 01/21/2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Fire Department
2026-34
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBJECT:
AUTHORIZE THE REFURBISHMENT OF AN EXISTING KME FIRE ENGINE (PUMPER) FROM FIRETRUCKS UNLIMITED VIA SOURCEWELL CO-OP EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
This report seeks City Council authorization to approve the one-time refurbishment of one (1) 2006 KME relief fire engine (pumper) from Firetrucks Unlimited in an amount not to exceed $703,453. The refurbishment will bring reserve fire engine 14 into compliance with the NFPA 1910 standards and ensure fleet reliability while the Corona Fire Department pursues the acquisition of a new fire engine through a separate procurement.
This will allow the Department to maintain operational readiness and service levels without delaying or replacing plans for a new apparatus.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
That the City Council:
a. Authorize the one-time refurbishment of one (1) existing relief KME fire engine (pumper) from Firetrucks Unlimited in an amount not to exceed $703,453. b. Authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to issue a purchase order to Firetrucks Unlimited for the refurbishment of one (1) existing relief fire engine (pumper) in an amount not to exceed $703,453, including any non-substantive extensions, change orders, purchase orders, and amendments up to the amount authorized by Corona Municipal Code 3.08.080 (J), which is equivalent to 10% or $70,345.
c. Authorize an appropriation in an amount not to exceed $773,798 from the Fleet Replacement Fund 684 to the Vehicle Procurement-Fire Operating and Maintenance Project No. 68342.
BACKGROUND & HISTORY:
The Corona Fire Department evaluates its apparatus fleet annually, in cooperation with the Public Works Department and in accordance with industry best practices for emergency response vehicles.
Unit 63003 (Engine 14), a 2006 KME Type I relief fire engine, has been in continuous frontline and reserve service since 2007. While the apparatus remains structurally viable, its age and cumulative operational demands have resulted in increasing maintenance requirements and reliability concerns.
Given current apparatus manufacturing lead times exceeding three to four years, immediate replacement would create a gap in fleet availability. As such, staff evaluated refurbishment as a temporary, supplemental lifecycle strategy to maintain operational readiness while a new fire engine is pursued through a separate procurement process.
This evaluation does not represent a departure from the City’s long-term apparatus replacement program.
Industry standards and NFPA guidance recognize refurbishment as an effective method to extend the service life of structurally sound apparatus by restoring mechanical, electrical, and safety systems to current standards. While this recommendation applies specifically to Unit 63003, refurbishment may be evaluated in the future on a case-bycase basis where it is demonstrated to be operationally necessary and fiscally prudent, and where it complements rather than replaces the City’s established apparatus replacement strategy.
ANALYSIS:
The proposed refurbishment by Firetrucks Unlimited will be performed in accordance with NFPA 1910 – Standard for Fire Apparatus Refurbishing and includes a comprehensive overhaul of the apparatus’s mechanical, electrical, pump, body, and safety systems.
Major components include a complete engine and transmission rebuild; upgrades or replacement of drivetrain, suspension, braking, steering, HVAC, and electrical systems; pump and plumbing rebuild with certified testing; interior and cab safety improvements; body repair, corrosion mitigation, repainting, and updated reflective striping and graphics.
The refurbishment includes a one-year comprehensive warranty covering parts and workmanship. Upon completion, Engine 14 will be restored to a condition comparable to a new engine in terms of reliability, safety, and operational capability, while retaining a familiar platform for personnel.
Unit 63003 (Engine 14) was selected following a fleetwide evaluation of mileage, structural condition, mechanical history, and lifecycle value. With 157,098 miles and a documented maintenance history, the apparatus remains within an optimal range for refurbishment and long-term serviceability. Firetrucks Unlimited identified the unit as a suitable candidate based on its structural integrity, drivetrain condition, and engine configuration, allowing for a full mechanical rebuild with reduced technical risk and greater cost certainty compared to newer platforms.
The total refurbishment cost of $703,453 is less than half the cost of a new Type I fire engine, which currently exceeds $1.4 million and carries delivery timelines of 36 to 48 months. Refurbishment will extend the unit’s service life by approximately 10 to 15 years, reduce maintenance and downtime costs, preserve fleet capacity during extended manufacturing delays, maintain firefighter safety and operational readiness, and maximize lifecycle value while a new engine is pursued through a separate procurement.
Exception to Competitive Bidding
City staff recommends that an exception to competitive bidding is warranted for this purchase pursuant to Corona Municipal Code (CMC) Section 3.08.125(A), which states "Competitive bidding already completed. When the purchasing agent and the authorized contracting party, with the approval of the City Manager, determines that:
1. A competitive bid procedure has been conducted by another public agency, including, but not limited to, another local agency, the state through the California Multiple Award Schedule (CMAS), the federal government through the General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Communities Government Purchasing Alliance, or the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA); and
2. The price to the City is equal to or better than the price to that public agency." The City pursues cooperative purchasing agreements to save time, reduce administrative costs, enhance operational efficiency, and stretch budget resources through competitively negotiated pricing. By using cooperative purchasing, the City leverages a solicitation
previously conducted by another government agency, enabling the City to take advantage of a vetted and competitively awarded contract.
Based on the bid process previously conducted by Sourcewell, the Corona Fire Department requests the approval to authorize the refurbishment of the existing Engine 14 by Firetrucks Unlimited, who was competitively awarded a contract through Sourcewell (Contract No. 120921-BLE) through a formal solicitation and evaluation process on behalf of participating agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation in the amount not to exceed $773,798 from the Fleet Replacement Fund 684 to the Vehicle Procurement-Fire Operating and Maintenance Project No. 68342. The refurbishment project will require a 50% deposit upon contract execution, with the remaining balance due upon completion and delivery of the apparatus. Although the Fleet Replacement Fund 684 for the Fire Department does not currently have sufficient resources to cover the full cost of the Fire Engine (Pumper), ongoing contributions to the Fleet Replacement Fund 684 will continue to accumulate, and based on current projections, the Fund will have adequate resources to cover the cost by the time final payment is due.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of the Guidelines for the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), which states that a project is exempt from CEQA if the activity is covered by the commonsense exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA. This action involves the refurbishment of a fire engine to be incompliance with NFPA 910 standards and there is no possibility that approving this project will have a significant effect on the environment. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required.
PREPARED BY: ROBERT PETERSON, DEPUTY FIRE CHIEF
REVIEWED BY: BRIAN YOUNG, FIRE CHIEF
REVIEWED BY: SAVAT KHAMPHOU, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Exhibit 1 – 2006 KME Pumper – Refurbishment Contract FireTrucks Unlimited
2. Exhibit 2 – Sourcewell Brindlee Contract 101525
3. Exhibit 3 – Sourcewell Independent Dealers FireTrucks Unlimited