Wildfire cost reductions through equipment development and standardization

Standardizing equipment and clothing can reduce the costs of fighting wildfires by allowing items to be purchased in large quantities. In the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, equipment is developed at two Technology and Development Centers, one in Missoula, Montana, and the other in San Dimas, California. After a prototype has been developed, new items of equipment are tested in the field and completed with design specifications and drawings. The General Services Administration procures large quantities of items meeting these specifications, saving an average of 25 percent of the total cost. During the past 5 years, agencies have purchased about $26 million in clothing and equipment each year, with savings of about $6.5 million a year by purchasing through the General Services Administration.