By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — Public safety needs a lot of life savors so they can perform the job of saving lives.

One of those necessary pieces of equipment is the Self Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA)  cylinders. Those bottles last about 15 years.

At the Naples Fire Department, 31 of those SCBA bottles will expire in May and those will need to be replaced. Between rising costs and setting aside less in reserves, the department is about $3,000 short to make those purchases.

On Jan. 18, Naples Fire Chief Justin Cox requested that the Naples Board of Selectmen authorize taking $2,760 from the EMS account to add to the existing money in reserve.  Chief Cox said he would request in the upcoming budget that money be replaced. 

The board voted, 4-0, to move funds to cover purchasing the cylinders. Selectman Bill Adams was not present at the make-up meeting, which took place on a Wednesday instead of Monday.

“As you know, we’ve been setting money aside each year in reserves for SCBA bottles replacement,” Chief Cox said.

“We have 31 units, 31 bottles, that are due May 2023,” he said.

“In last year’s budget, I had priced out bottles. They were $980 a piece. Scott [the supplier] is not going to have an increase from last February until April 1. April 1 is when they’re increasing  When I priced them out, they were $980 a piece. Now, it’s $300,380 for 31 bottles. What we have set aside is $297,600,” he said. “Two years prior to today, we were putting $9,600 aside for bottles. After budget cuts last year, we put $6,000 in, which leaves a difference  of $2,780 to buy all 31 bottles.” 

“I am recommending that we take out of EMS equipment the $2780 so” the department has the money for the purchases, he said. 

Chief Cox commented it might be cheaper. He planned to put the item out to bid on Jan. 19 but he wanted the funding lined up first.

“I’m good with that recommendation,” Vice Chair Ted Shane said.