For City Council Meeting June 10, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: Tanya Williams, City Manager
AUTHOR: Brian Park, Fire Chief
Title
Request City Council to: (1) Approve the Purchase of Two Smeal - REV Group Type I Fire Engines, Equipment, Modifications, and Installation of Emergency Equipment for a Total Cost of $2,905,542.55, and (2) Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Documents.
(ACTION)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1) Approve the purchase of two (2) Smeal Type I Fire Engines, Equipment, Modifications, and Installation of Emergency Equipment from Rev Group Inc. and, through Sourcewell, in the amount of $2,905,542.55; and,
2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND
The Rialto Fire Department depends on a reliable fleet of fire apparatus to maintain emergency response readiness. The current fleet includes eight fire engines: four frontline and four reserve units. Many reserve engines are critically aged and have reached the end of operational and technological service life, meaning they no longer meet current performance standards, safety features, and cost-effectiveness expectations for frontline emergency response. Two of these units are recommended for immediate replacement:
• Type I Engine F091 - 21 years of service with 152,480 miles
• Type I Engine F093 - 20 years of service with 197,385 miles
Both units scored “F” under the APWA Fleet Replacement Guidelines, indicating immediate replacement is necessary due to age, maintenance cost, and operational reliability concerns.
The purchase of two new Smeal Type I Engines will enable the department to reassign newer frontline engines into reserve status and decommission F091 and F093, due to each receiving failing APWA grading.
This purchase marks a strategic change for the department, which for over two decades has exclusively purchased Pierce fire engines. However, due to ongoing challenges with Pierce, including:
• An unsustainable lead time for new fire apparatus
• Dependence on proprietary components that are often on backorder
• Prolonged apparatus downtimes without adequate customer service support during repairs
Additionally, this purchase will also include the required hose, ladders, and essential equipment, which previously needed to be procured independently, in addition to the mounting of the equipment, which will all be done by the vendor before delivery and acceptance. This represents a significant reduction in cost, staff time, and the time to place the apparatus into service.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
Smeal, a division of REV Group Inc., offers competitive pricing, quality craftsmanship, and more favorable lead times, currently estimated at 850 days. These advantages directly address the Department’s urgent need to replace aging fire engines and avoid further strain on frontline units. Utilizing the Fire Apparatus Grading Sheet, both F091 and F093 have surpassed optimal service life and have logged significant engine hours and mileage while requiring extensive maintenance, each receiving a failing grade. This underscores the immediate necessity for replacements to ensure continued operational readiness, firefighter safety, and community protection. The new Smeal Type I Engines will incorporate enhanced safety features, updated operational technology, and more accessible serviceability, ensuring improved fleet reliability and lifecycle value.
The purchase will be completed through the cooperative purchase program, Sourcewell. In 2011, the City of Rialto entered an Interlocal contract with Sourcewell to participate in its cooperative purchasing program. In 2022, the City of Rialto renewed the agreement with Sourcewell. Sourcewell is a “Government-to-Government” procurement service available nationwide. This cooperative purchasing program assists local governments in reducing costs by capitalizing on bulk purchasing power and pre-established competitive bids. Pursuant to the provisions of the City’s Purchasing Ordinance, Section 2.48.210, “Cooperative Purchasing Programs,” the City Council may authorize the acquisition of the Bark Blower through a joint powers or other cooperative purchasing program.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
The proposed action does not meet the definition of a project as defined by Section 15378 California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). A “Project” means the whole of an action which has the potential to result in either a direct physical change in the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, and excludes:
1. (b)(2) Continuing administrative or maintenance activities, such as purchases for supplies, personnel-related actions, and general policy and procedure making; and,
2. (b)(5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
This purchase supports the City of Rialto’s General Plan:
Goal 5-3:1: Provide for fire personnel, equipment, and fire stations to have adequate and appropriate resources to meet the needs and serve all areas of Rialto.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact
This report does not impact the FY2024/2025 operating budget
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
Funding for $2,905,542.55 is budgeted and available in the FY2024/2025 Fire Department capital budget, for the contract agreement for the purchase, outfitting, painting, and identification of two (2) Fire Department Smeal Type I Engines, Equipment, Modifications, and Installation of Emergency Equipment.
Licensing
This action does not trigger a requirement for a business license.