$99K purchase of protective clothing approved for Superstition Fire and Medical District

By Richard Dyer
Mail | X: @RHDyer

A total of 21 sets of firefighting turnout personal protective equipment with coats, pants, boots, gloves and particulate-blocking hoods are to be purchased for the Superstition Fire and Medical District at a cost of nearly $100,000.

The SFMD Board of Directors voted 4-0 on Nov. 19 on a consent agenda with other items to approve the purchase of replacement and new-hire firefighter turnout gear. Board Director Shawn Kurian was absent.

The total cost is $99,100.44, according to a memo to the board from Deputy Chief Jeff Cranmer.

The Health and Safety Committee evaluated multiple manufacturers, sought field feedback and determined the Lion center cut turnout provides the best mix of build quality, safety, usability and fit for SFMD operations, Cranmer wrote.

“This spec improves thermal and steam protection, maintains better overlap at the coat–pant, wrist and collar interfaces, and uses reinforced high-wear areas for kneeling and crawling. It includes an integrated drag-rescue device, high-visibility trim and materials that breathe better to help manage heat stress,” Cranmer wrote.

For purchasing and support, the committee recommended SeaWestern as the vendor, he said.

“This spec will outfit new hires and replace second sets coming due under our capital plan over the next five years. Approving the order now allows SFMD to lock in current pricing ahead of the scheduled rate increase in January 2026,” Cranmer said.

A total of 21 sets of Lion turnout gear are being sought with additional particulate blocking hoods, according to a SeaWestern Fire Fighting Equipment pricing document.

The district, which is primarily funded by property taxes, provides fire suppression, fire prevention, wildland protection, advanced life support, rescue, extrication and medical transportation services out of five fire stations in Apache Junction and Gold Canyon.

Richard H. Dyer can be reached at rdyer@iniusa.org, or on X @rhdyer. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines, https://www.yourvalley.net/civility-checklist/.

Richard Dyer
Managing Editor | East Valley

rdyer@iniusa.org

Meet Richard
Richard Dyer has worked at Independent Newsmedia Inc. USA since 1987, starting his career in Apache Junction as a copy editor and being promoted over the years to work as the editor of the Mesa Independent, news services editor for the East Valley office in Apache Junction, managing editor for the East Valley office, news services editor for the East Valley office and eventually also for the newspapers at INI’s then-Chandler office, managing editor again and as a news editor covering Apache Junction/Gold Canyon and Queen Creek. He helped start the Florence Independent while the news editor covering Apache Junction and Mesa news. In January 2023, he became associate managing editor for the East Valley newspapers and in August 2023 became managing editor for the East Valley newspapers of Chandler/Tempe, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Florence, Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon, while also reporting on Mesa and Apache Junction/Gold Canyon.  

Community: Since 2009, he has worked as a volunteer to design The Blue Guitar Magazine, Blue Guitar Jr. magazine and Unstrung magazine, which are projects of The Arizona Consortium for the Arts; and since 2014, has been overseeing the art submissions. 

Education: University of Arizona with a master of arts in journalism and a bachelor of science in agricultural communication. Also continuing education at Mesa Community College in welding in a metal art sculpture class.

Random fact: Saw his first tornado on May 31, 2010, which was classified as an EF-2, as part of a stormchasing tour group.

Hobbies: He is an artist of welded-steel sculptures, selling his artwork at juried and non-juried art shows.