“The fire department is in need of new firefighting turnouts for many of the 15 full time firefighters, and there are not enough sets of turnouts to issue individually to our 32 Reserves,” noted Chief Skeels’ report. Acting Assistant Fire Chief Kevin Fildes successfully applied for the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant.The high-tech turnouts to be purchased by the fire department resulted from a joint effort between the City of La Mesa and the Santa Diego Fire Chief’s Association to write specifications for turnouts in order to standardize equipment and meet all NPFA standards. “The turnout gear selected to meet and/or exceed all specifications was the Globe G-Xtreme turnout, which will meet SPFD specifications,” noted Chief Skeels.The SPFD was able to enter into a joint purchasing agreement for the turnouts priced at about $1,600 each. “Santa Paula will purchase as many sets of turnouts,” approximately 37, “as the funding will allow,” Chief Skeels reported. The FEMA grant will cover about 90 percent of the total cost of the new turnouts.