Decatur Spends $174,307 For Fire Department Breathing Devices

The Decatur City Commission has approved the $174,307 purchase of self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) from Municipal Emergency Services.

City Fire Chief Toni Dixon told the commission Tuesday night that the city is not buying the kind of SCBA -- a device that delivers air to firefighters -- that DeKalb County firefighters have complained about.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, DeKalb fire officials said the SCBAs made by Drager Safety sometimes malfunction. Drager said it stands by its product and blamed the problem on poor maintenance, the AJC reported.

Dixon said the department's current SCBAs needed to be replaced because of obsolete parts, costly repairs and the 10-year standard of use had expired.

The other bids were $191,518 from American Safety & Firehouse and $205,235.70 from Fisher Safety.