Should a fire department sell its old gear to the public? Are auctions of surplus equipment consistent with concerns about terrorism?

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Look at photos of gear that was sold at recent auction

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Putting surplus equipment up for auction is a practice governments have done for decades. At times, the auctions can include uniforms, gear and other equipment used by police, fire and EMS departments. One such auction last week in the Nation’s Capital was brought to the attention of STATter911.com. It has us asking area officials how their surplus gear disposal policies fit in with their concerns about terrorism.

In recent years, terrorism expert have pointed out the next attack on U.S. soil could come from someone posing as a first responder. DC Fire & EMS Department Assistant Chief Larry Schultz expressed similar worries as he ran the department’s efforts for the Inauguration in January.

At the time Chief Schultz told Jamie Thompson of FireRescue1.com, “Look at terrorist attacks around the world and you’re seeing the increasing use of people wearing public safety uniforms and stealing ambulances and police cars to deliver explosive devices.”

If that’s the case then why does the District of Columbia still sell its surplus fire gear at public auction?

The website Liquidation.com shows the auction that opened on February 20 and closed on February 26 of a “huge lot of police/fire department uniforms and clothing”. The items, including fire helmets, boots and coats, were advertised as being from the Government of the District of Columbia, Personal Property Division, Surplus Property Auction.

DC Fire & EMS Department spokesman Alan Etter tells 9NEWS NOW the auction of surplus material has long been done by the DC government. Etter says the department has some concerns the fire gear is being disposed of this way, but that the intent is not to aid criminal actions.

While the public can buy firefighting gear from many fire service suppliers, much of the gear that is auctioned in DC still has the markings and insignias of the DC Fire & EMS Department. That could allow someone using it to better blend in with emergency operations.

The United States Fire Administration issued a Critical Infrastructure Protection Infogram a year ago on the topic of stolen or cloned emergency vehicles that could be used in a terror attack. The uniform was listed as one of the keys that might help a first responder discover an impostor, asking: “Is the driver’s uniform consistent with the vehicle being driven?”

DC is not alone in the Washington area with its policy of auctioning used fire and police gear. Prince George’s County has similar auctions. In an email, spokesman Mark Brady tells 9NEWS NOW the department’s leadership has wrestled with this very concern:

All older/damaged PGFD PPE that is turned into Logistics becomes “surplus property” and is turned over to the Central Services of the County. Central Services is the caretaker of all County surplus property. Central Services takes the surplus property and sells it at auction. No markings or insignia are removed from the PPE.

The Fire/EMS Department have voiced our concerns to Central Services that some of the firefighters gear is not usable for interior firefighting due to its condition and should be destroyed.

Pete Piringer, a spokesman for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service, says there are limitations on what gear his department auctions. Fairfax County Fire & Rescue Department spokesman Dan Schmidt says the county does not make used firefighting gear available to the public. Both Schmidt and Piringer say their departments attempt to donate used gear to fire departments around the world that may need it.

What is your department’s policy on the disposing of surplus uniforms and PPE? If you do sell items to the public does it include identifying markings? Share your answers and your thoughts by hitting the comments button below.