Baldwin Borough’s fire companies definitely will get the thermal imaging cameras they want, but it will take a little longer than expected, the borough manager said Tuesday. “We’re going to redo the bid, get a little more specific,” manager Ann Scott said. A group of firefighters stormed out of a Baldwin Borough Council meeting on Monday after council members dismissed all current bids for the specialized cameras. Baldwin obtained a $50,000 state grant to buy the cameras, which allow firefighters to see through heavy smoke while they’re inside a burning building and to pinpoint sources of heat such as trapped victims and “hot spots” in walls. Fire departments across the region have been acquiring the cameras, and the state grant is designed to allow the borough to buy one camera for each of Baldwin’s four departments – Becks Run, Baldwin No. 1, South Baldwin and Option. The problem, Scott explained, was that the camera the firefighters wanted was the second highest in price and by law the borough must accept the low bid. “Unless you can justify why you don’t want the others, you can’t eliminate the low bidder,” Scott said. The firefighters “are not used to the way the borough works.” Scott said some features the firefighters want aren’t available on the cameras offered through the two lowest bids. Firefighters are considering factors such as turnaround time for repairs, extended warranties and camera weight. “What is bothering me a bit is the (lack of) communication between the borough and the fire department,” said Tom Bradley, captain of the Becks Run department. Scott said she not only gave all four fire chiefs a chance to review the specifications for the bids but also talked with officials in other municipalities that already purchased the cameras. Scott estimated that the earliest the contract could be awarded would be January or February.

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