Pittsburgh, PA – Dräger announced that the City of Baltimore selected Dräger SCBA equipment and supplies for its fire department, as per bid number B50001868. The Dräger equipment complies with the required NFPA 1981 and NFPA 1982, 2007 edition standards, which specify the minimum requirements for the design, performance, testing and certification of new compressed breathing air open-circuit self-contained breathing apparatus.
“The Baltimore City Fire Department is pleased that through a competitive process Dräger will be providing self contained breathing apparatus for our members,” stated James S. Clack, Fire Chief Baltimore City Fire Department. “Providing our members with safe, reliable and state-of-the-art equipment that meets the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard is paramount to their safety.”
Field testing was done to establish technical criteria for the RFP. The opportunity to participate in field testing was posted publicly, and was open to any vendor and/or manufacturer. All formal proposals submitted to the City were evaluated. The field testing and subsequent evaluation were separate, however related, from the evaluation of the submitted proposals.
“Dräger is pleased to have been awarded the contract and to continue our relationship with the Baltimore City Fire Department,” said Tim Martin, VP of Sales & Service at Draeger Safety, Inc. “We strongly believe that our SCBA equipment is the best solution for the Baltimore City firefighters and we look forward to supporting them.”
Equipment performance was a significant factor
Dräger was one of three manufacturers that participated in the three-month field test. Each month, equipment was moved to a different fire station to be evaluated. Firefighters were required to complete an online survey after every shift they worked, through which they evaluated the equipment on fit and functionality, cleaning, maintenance and repair, and overall safety.
The final vendor decision was based on 80 percent technical criteria and 20 percent price. Dräger won by scoring 91 of the 100 points. The second place vendor scored 75 percent. The Baltimore City Fire Department will begin using the new Dräger SCBA systems this summer.
For more information, please go to www.draeger.com or contact Dräger Customer Service at 800-858-1737.
Dräger. Technology for Life®
Dräger is an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology. Our products protect, support and save lives. Founded in 1889, in 2011 Dräger generated revenues of around EUR 2.26 billion. The Dräger Group is currently present in more than 190 countries and has about 12,000 employees worldwide. Please visit www.draeger.com for more information.
