Plymouth Fire Department to purchase first-ever Class A Dress Uniforms

The Plymouth Fire Department will soon be outfitted with formal dress apparel after the City Council unanimously approved a motion to prepare an additional appropriation for the purchase of Class A uniforms.

During a recent council meeting, Fire Chief Steve Holm explained that the department has never had true dress uniforms for formal events such as ceremonies, recognitions, and parades. He shared a personal example, noting that when he graduated from the fire chief’s academy, he was one of only two individuals in a class of 30 who did not have a Class A uniform to wear.

In another instance, a Plymouth firefighter traveled to Wisconsin to receive an award at a highly formal event. While members of the Wisconsin department were dressed in their Class A uniforms, the Plymouth representative was unable to match the formal attire.

To remedy this, Chief Holm requested an estimated $17,500 to purchase the formal wear for the department's current career staff and the officers of the volunteer group. The fully tailored uniforms will include shoes, pants, a belt, a shirt, a tie, a jacket, a hat, badges, and collar pins. Depending on the firefighter's rank, the cost per uniform ranges from $686 to $808.

The uniforms will be sourced from Star Uniform in South Bend, with a lead time of a few months expected for the complete sets.

The funding for the purchase is tied to a large hazmat incident that occurred last summer at the local Zentis facility. According to state statute, the fire department was able to bill the company just over $45,000 for having response vehicles on the scene for three days and for equipment damaged during the response, which included three lengths of hose and a pair of boots. Chief Holm noted that he had discussed the uniform request with both the city clerk-treasurer and Zentis prior to approaching the council.

Following the presentation, the Plymouth City Council unanimously passed a motion directing the clerk-treasurer to prepare the additional appropriation to fund the new uniforms.