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Agenda Report
September 29, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Fire Department
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH SOUTH COAST FIRE EQUIPMENT, INC. FOR THE PURCHASE
OF A 2026 PIERCE ENFORCER TRACTOR DRAWN AERIAL LADDERTRUCK FOR A TOTAL OF $2,523,364 RECOMMENDATION:
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It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the project proposed herein is exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the "CommonSense" exemption that CEQA applies only to projects that may have an effect on the environment;
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc. for the purchase of one 2026 Pierce Enforcer Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder Truck in an amount not to exceed $2,523,364. Neither Competitive Bidding nor Competitive Selection are required pursuant to City Charter Section1002(h) and Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(A)(3), contracts with other governmental entities.
BACKGROUND:
The Pasadena Fire Department (PFD) is an "All Hazard" response agency which responds to all calls for public assistance including emergency medical sen/ice, fires, technical rescues and other hazards. The PFD currently operates four aerial laddertrucks, two of which are frontline ladder trucks, one in reserve status, and one for training purposes.
The new fire apparatus will be housed at Fire Station 31 and placed into frontline serviceto assist with over 6,605 service calls received at this station annually. Upon delivery ofthe new replacement truck, frontline Seagrave tractor drawn aerial ladder truck#0397 will be moved to reserve status and reserve Seagrave aerial ladder truck t
MEETING OF. 9/29/2026 AGENDA ITEM NO..
2 Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Contract with South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc.
September 29, 2026Page 2 of 4
#1910 will be salvaged. The vehicle being replaced, 0397, is a 2017 Seagrave tractor drawn ariel ladder truck with over 57,731 miles and 8400 engine hours; the vehicle being salvaged is #1910, a 1995 Seagrave truck with over 167,232 miles and has exceed itsuseful life.
An aerial ladder truck for an "All Hazard" agency must be responsive to the unique needs of the City it serves. In preparation for this purchase, the PFD convened a committee to develop the vehicle specifications based on current and futuredepariimental needs. This committee was comprised of a diverse selection of departmental staff, Fire Captains, Fire Engineers, Firefighters, and other experiencedpersonnel including mechanics from Fleet Maintenance.
The committee solicited input from the entire department and consulted with the personnel to be assigned to this equipment in order to determine the capabilities and features required of the new truck. Fire Department and Fleet Maintenance personnel also conducted a tour of the Pierce Manufacturing Plant as well as a site visit to Glendale Fire Department, Los Angeles City and Long Beach to view their newly delivered Pierce aerial ladder and to assess the maintenance, functionality, and serviceability of this ladder truck. Furthermore, committee members consulted other localarea agencies (Cities of Arcadia, Burbank, Torrance, Culver city, Los Angeles County, and Redondo Beach) to evaluate their satisfaction with their existing Pierce apparatus.Based on the existing fleet of ladder trucks and the specific needs of the PFD, the PierceEnforcer with heavy-duty Ascendent aerial tower model was determined by the committee to be the best fit.The Pierce Ascendant heavy-duty aerial ladder carries a rated tip load of 750 pounds dry and 500 pounds wet at full extension with 102 feet of vertical and 100 feet of horizontalreach, a load capacity that the committee found no other tractor drawn aerial on themarket could match. This heavy-duty rating is essential to the specialized technicalrescue work the PFD is called upon to perform, including high-angle and elevated rescues in which the ladder must safety support multiple firefighters, a victim, and rescue equipment at the tip simultaneously, with a 3:1 structural safety factor. This proposedpurchase is also in line with the current fleet of fire apparatus, which is critically importantas apparatus standardization improves firefighter safety and efficiency.The Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) is one of the largest regional planningcommissions in the country and focuses on providing purchasing solutions to jurisdictions. One such effort managed by HGAC is hlGACBuy, a nationwide government procurement service which aims to make the process more efficient. HGACBuy awardscontracts through a public competitive procurement process; contracts are available to participating members such as the City of Pasadena. On July 26, 2023, HGACBuyissued an invitation to submit competitive bids for "Fire Service Apparatus (All Types)".
The bid closed on September 14, 2023 and 37 bids were received. HGACBuy recommended awarding Pierce and its subsidiaries such as South Coast FireEquipment, Inc. the contract for the following categories:
• Aerials;
Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Contract with South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc.
September 29, 2026Page 3 of 4
• Wildland Fire Apparatus;• Pumper Fire Apparatus;• Special Service Apparatus; and• Pumper/Tankers and Tankers.
Purchasing the requested aerial ladder truck utilizing the HGACBuy contract is in the City's best interest as it reduces the amount of time required to take delivery of new equipment and eliminates the need to solicit for items that are already competitively priced. There are no vendors located in Pasadena that provide this equipment.
Additionally, HGACBuy awards its contracts through a competitive bid process, ensuringcost competitiveness of the purchases. South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc., the exclusive authorized dealer of Pierce fire apparatus in Southern California, has agreed to extend the contract prices, terms, and conditions of this contract to the City of Pasadena for the purchase of one new 2026 Pierce Enforcer/Ascendant Tractor Drawn Aerial Ladder Truck using the HGACBuy Contract FS12-23.
The apparatus will be built to the U.S. EPA 2027 heavy-duty engine emissions standardsand the corresponding California Air Resources Board low-NOx standards, which requirean approximately 80 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions beginning with modelyear 2027 engines. Meeting these standards requires a new engine platform withexpanded exhaust aftertreatment and extended emissions warranties, which have raised apparatus pricing across all manufacturers and account for a significant portion of thecost increase over the City's previous aerial ladder purchases.
The City's replacement standard for aerial ladder trucks is 1 5 years of frontline service.
Industry-wide demand and supply chain constraints have extended fire apparatus build times to approximately four years, and the new truck will require an estimated six additional months of upfitting once received before it can enter service. Ordering now willensure a replacement is in place before #0397 exceeds its service life. Additionally, Pierce applies quarterly price increases of approximately one percent, with the nextincrease scheduled for November 1, 2026. Approval at this time allows the City to lock incurrent pricing under the HGACBuy contract and avoid an estimated $25,000 inadditional cost.
COUNCIL POLICY CONSIDERATION:
The proposed contract furthers the City Council's strategic planning goals to ensure public safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the purchase of an aerial fire truck is exempt pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3), the "Common Sense"exemption. This purchase complies with all South Coast Air Quality Management District rules and regulations for engine emissions and clean air standards in the South Coastbasin.
Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a Contract with South Coast Fire Equipment, Inc.
September 29, 2026
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of th is action is $2,523,364. Funding forthis action will be addressed by the utilization of future budgeted appropriations in the Fleet Replacement Fund. Indirect andsupport costs such as maintenance and repairs are anticipated to be $350,000 over the 20 year lifecycle of the vehicle and will be addressed as part of the Fire Department's annual operating budget.
Respectfully submitted,
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CHAD,Fire Chief
Fire Department
Prepared by:
StephanFeChang /^~Management Analyst V
Fire Department
Approved by:
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MATTHEW E/HAWKESWORTH
Interim City Manager