Aldermen OK a three-brand gear tryout for firefighters

Starkville aldermen gave the Fire Department permission on Oct. 20 to run a 60-day comparison of protective gear from Ricochet, Lion and Globe before choosing a manufacturer for purchases. The request was among the consented items covered by the Mississippi city's official-agenda approval; the motion carried.⁠[1][2][3][4]

The department's plan calls for testing under actual working conditions, judging performance, comfort, durability, mobility, fit and overall functionality—not simply comparing specifications.⁠[1]

Our earlier account of the proposed trial flagged a timing mismatch that the materials reviewed do not resolve: the city's request specifies 60 days, while Ricochet's attached form marks 90.⁠[1]

The city's coversheet describes no financial impact during the trial. That does not mean free gear afterward: Ricochet's terms describe a loan beginning when the equipment arrives, followed by an invoice at 50% off the current list price when the trial ends, with payment due within 30 days.⁠[1]

Returning Ricochet's gear is another option. Its terms require prepaid return freight and properly cleaned garments; optional third-party cleaning would cost the department $100 per set.⁠[1]

The approval authorizes the comparison. The records reviewed for this account do not establish when testing began or whether a manufacturer has since been selected.⁠[1][2][3]