Air Operations New Bell 412EPX – Copter 4
• Bell 412EPX Twin-Engine Helicopter
• Twin-Engine for one-engine-inoperative performance – SAFETY
• Latest Generation – Modern Technology
• 4-Axis Autopilot with Hover Hold
• Increased Gross Weight – 12,200 Lbs.
• 11% Additional Power – Upgraded Gearboxes and Components
• Capable of seating Pilot + 9
• 375-gallon water drop capacity
• Rescue hoist & EMS equipped
Bell 412EPX Purchase
• Execute agreement with Bell Textron, Inc. for purchase of one (1) Bell 412EPX helicopter and Hangar One Avionics for mission equipment (radios and firefighting tank)
• Initial deposit payment for the acquisition will be advanced from the General Fund in FY 2024
• Equipment Vehicle Financing Program (EVFP)
Will reimburse General Fund for advance payment
Finance total cost over a 10-year term
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San Diego spending $21M on new firefighting helicopter
San Diego is spending $21 million on a new firefighting helicopter needed to return the city’s aerial firefighting capability back to recommended levels.
City officials announced Tuesday they’ve also secured nearly all the approvals needed to build a long-delayed hangar to house the city’s three firefighting helicopters.
San Diego has had only two firefighting helicopters, instead of the recommended three, since the city removed a 43-year-old helicopter from service last July because of structural cracking.
https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/ne ... helicopter
https://www.airmedandrescue.com/latest/ ... helicopter
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Purchase of Bell 412EPX Fire/Rescue Helicopter.
The City of San Diego
Staff Report
DATE ISSUED: January 03, 2024
TO: City Council
FROM: Fire-Rescue Department
SUBJECT: Purchase of Bell 412EPX Fire/Rescue Helicopter
Primary Contact: David Gerboth, Assistant Fire Chief
Secondary Contact: Chuck MacFarland, Air Operations Chief
Council District(s): Citywide
OVERVIEW:
This action item seeks Council approval to execute an agreement with Bell Textron Inc. to purchase one (1) Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter.
This purchase will replace Copter 1, a 1980 Bell 212HP that is 43 years old and beyond economical repair. Copter 1 has been decommissioned.
The major components from Copter 1 will be sold and the estimated proceeds of $1.0 million will be applied towards the purchase of the new helicopter.
PROPOSED ACTIONS:
1) A resolution authorizing the mayor or his designee to execute an agreement between the City of San Diego and Bell Textron Inc. to purchase one (1) Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter.
2) A resolution authorizing the Chief Financial Officer to appropriate and expend an amount not to exceed $1.0 million to be advanced from the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2024 for the initial deposit payment necessary to order one (1) Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter. Upon approval by the City Council, the City Equipment Vehicle Financing Program (EVFP) will reimburse the General Fund for the advanced payment and finance the total costs not to exceed $17.3 million, which includes $14.2 million for the helicopter, $1.8 million for outfitting/completion, and $1.3 million for the sales tax, over a 10-year term through lease purchase financings. The subsequent lease payments will come from the Fire-Rescue Department budget within the General Fund, contingent upon the approval of the appropriation ordinance for the applicable fiscal year and the Chief Financial Officer furnishing one or more certificates certifying that funds necessary for expenditure are, or will be, on deposit with the City Treasurer.
DISCUSSION OF ITEM:
Climate change is now causing a year-round fire season. As a result, wildland fires are spreading more rapidly than ever observed in the past. Helicopters capable of increased water delivery and enhanced performance (aircrew safety) for the firefighting mission are critical. The more water quickly delivered by helicopter vastly improves the odds of extinguishing a fire more quickly.
SDFD Air Operations Section members respond to more than 400 emergencies on a 7-day/24-hour basis while flying between 200 and 250 hours per aircraft annually. Each helicopter's crew includes a pilot, fire captain/crew chief, and firefighter/paramedic.
SDFD currently operates two fire/rescue helicopters: one (1) twin-engine medium-lift Bell 412EP helicopter and one (1) twin-engine heavy-lift Sikorsky S70i Firehawk helicopter. The Bell 412EP is sixteen years old, and the Sikorsky S70i is six years old. This action will replace (decommissioned) Copter 1, allowing SDFD to maintain three helicopters in its fleet.
Support of firefighting operations in San Diego and the region is the Section’s primary mission. However, SDFD also provides hoist‐air rescue, short-haul air rescue, shoreline rescue, helicopter swift‐water rescue, night vision goggle operations, patient transport, vehicle rescue, large animal rescue, fire mapping, infrared detection, disaster assessment, and can assist in high‐rise fire incidents. SDFD is the only nighttime provider of the above-listed operations and as such, the County of San Diego’s sole contract provider.
Following the 2014 Bernardo Firestorm, an After-Action Report (AAR) was completed. One of the areas identified a vulnerability that needed to be addressed, precisely, the City’s inability to ensure that City firefighting helicopters are immediately and reliably available. The AAR recommendation was “to increase the number of City fire/rescue helicopters to three (3) to ensure SDFD’s ability to provide aerial fire suppression and rescue. Had either of the two fire/rescue helicopters experienced a mechanical or unscheduled maintenance problem, there would have been limited aerial fire suppression assets available. Three (3) City firefighting helicopters will also increase aerial firefighting capabilities if more than one wildland fire is burning within the City of San Diego”.
City of San Diego Strategic Plan:
Protect & Enrich Every Neighborhood by providing high quality Air Operations response to provide for the public’s health and safety.
Fiscal Considerations:
The City’s Equipment and Vehicle Financing Program is a cost-effective tool to finance the helicopter purchase. Considering the helicopter's essential purpose and long functional life (18 years or 6,000 flight hours), a 10-year repayment term is proposed. The City expects to advance approximately $1.0 million of the cost from the General Fund in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 towards an initial deposit payment with the manufacturer. This is an unbudgeted expense and Council is asked to appropriate this amount via this action. Estimated proceeds of $1.0 million from the sale of Copter 1 components will be deposited into the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2024 to support the appropriation increase for the advanced deposit. The EVFP financing will reimburse this $1.0 million advance in Fiscal Year 2025 and finance the total costs after delivery and testing, anticipated by late Fiscal Year 2025. The total cost of the acquisition to be financed, including deposit, outfitting and taxes, is projected to not to exceed $17.3 million. Department of Finance will procure the lender via Request for Proposal (RFP) process and bring forward the financing agreement for City Council approval in early FY 2025. Based on preliminary estimates using current interest rates, the lease payments are projected to commence in FY 2026, with an average annual debt service of $2.1 million and a total estimated repayment of $21.0 million over the life of the financing. The actual payments will depend on the interest rates at the time of funding. All lease payments will be included in future FireRescue Department budgets, and City Council approval will be obtained through the annual budget process.
In accordance with the City’s Debt Policy, Section 4.2, an analysis of the impact of additional debt was conducted, specifically for the impact of the financing for the helicopter. Generally, the City’s Debt Ratios, or the annual debt service as a percentage of general fund revenues, should remain under 2.0% for short-term debt and 10% for all long and short-term debt. When combined with pension and OPEB costs, the percentage should remain under 25%. Based on the FY 25-29 Five-Year Financial Outlook, current projections show the City’s Debt Ratios reaching highs of 1.7%, 6.4% and 23.1%, respectively. Execution of a 10-year $17.3 million lease to finance the helicopter is anticipated to raise the City’s Debt Ratios by 0.1%. Any additional future capital financing may increase the Debt Ratios up to or exceeding the guidelines outlined in the City’s Debt Policy. Reductions in General Fund revenues or increases in pension payments would also adversely affect the City’s Debt Ratios.
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San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Air Operations Section History - (PowerPoint Presentation)
• 1997 - Program development began
• 1999/2000 - First helicopter donated for 60-days as proof-of concept program
• Bell 407 “light-lift” helicopter
• 2002 – Corporate Partnership funded 90-day contract for services program
• Bell 212HP “medium-lift” helicopter
• 2003 – Corporate Partnership funded 120-day contract program
• Bell 212HP helicopter & included air rescue & EMS capabilities
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2/13/2024 - Tuesday Agenda and Results Summary
Item 103: Purchase of Bell 412EPX Fire/Rescue Helicopter.
Total Estimated Cost of Proposed Action and Funding Source:
Please see "Fiscal Considerations" in the Staff Report.
Council District(s) Affected: Citywide.
Proposed Actions:
(R-2024-340)
Resolution authorizing the Mayor, or his designee, to execute an agreement between the City of San Diego and Bell Textron Inc. to purchase one Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter.
Committee Actions Taken:
This item was heard at the Public Safety Committee meeting on January 17, 2024.
ACTION: Motion by Chair von Wilpert, second by Vice Chair Campillo, to recommend Council approval of staff's proposed actions.
VOTE: 4-0; von Wilpert-yea, Campillo-yea, Campbell-yea, Whitburn-yea.
Fire-Rescue: David Gerboth, Assistant Fire Chief
City Attorney Contact: Daniel Orloff
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WHEREAS, the SDFD Air Operations Section is currently operating with a fleet of two fire/rescue helicopters; and
WHEREAS, SDFD desires to purchase one Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter to replace Copter 1, a 1980 Bell 212HP helicopter that is beyond economical repair.
Copter 1 was decommissioned in 2023; and WHEREAS, on September 27, 2023, the Purchasing Agent approved a sole source for acquiring the Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter under San Diego Municipal Code (SDMC) section 22.3016; and WHEREAS, the total cost of the acquisition to be financed, including deposit, outfitting, and taxes, is projected to not to exceed $17.3 million
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Chief Financial Officer is authorized to appropriate and expend an amount not to exceed $1.0 million to be advanced from the General Fund in Fiscal Year 2024 for the initial deposit payment necessary to order one Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter.
Upon delivery of the helicopter, the payment of the remaining balance will be advanced from the General Fund, with the expectation that, with the future approval of the City Council, the City Equipment Vehicle Financing Program (EVFP) will reimburse the General Fund for the advanced payment and finance the total costs not to exceed $17.3 million, which includes $14.2 million for the helicopter, $1.8 million for outfitting/completion, and $1.3 million for the sales tax, over a 10-year term through lease purchase financings. The subsequent lease payments will come from the Fire-Rescue Department budget within the General Fund, contingent upon the approval of the appropriation ordinance for the applicable fiscal year and the Chief Financial Officer furnishing one or more certificates certifying that funds necessary for expenditure are, or will be, on deposit with the City Treasurer
BELL TEXTRON INC. CUSTOMER PURCHASE AGREEMENT
(New Helicopters)
Make: SUBARU BELL
Model: 412EPX
Date: 8 January 2024
Reference No. 42521
ARTICLE 4: ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY. The Seller shall present the Aircraft for inspection to the Purchaser in an
airworthy condition in the Appendix 1 Detailed Configuration no later than March 2025 (hereinafter “Inspection Month”).
Adopted (R-2024-340)
Executing an agreement between the City of San Diego and Bell Textron Inc. to purchase one Bell 412EPX fire/rescue helicopter
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Purchase of Bell 412EPX Fire/Rescue Helicopter.
Green Sheet - Public Safety Committee
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EXHIBIT C_City required documents_Bell Textron Helicopter
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Agreement & Exhibits_Contract for Goods_Bell Textron Inc._Helicopter Purchase_Final_1.8.24
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Comptroller's Certificate
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Accounting Table
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EOC Program Evaluation - Bell 412EPX Fire-Rescue Helicopter & Aircraft Outfitting.pdf
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(R-2024-340)
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Staff Report for - ()
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Final Approval Log (Published)
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Tuesday Results Summary - Meeting Packet - 2/13/2024 (2/21/2024 9:57:46 AM)
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Tuesday Agenda - Agenda - 2/13/2024 (2/13/2024 12:26:12 PM)
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