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In light of the recent boardwalk fire in Seaside Park, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency along with City Engineer Joe Cunha presented a new method for the city council to consider for the second phase of boardwalk reconstruction.

It would be the first boardwalk nationwide to reconstruct with the new technique, according to Cunha.

Phase two reconstruction, from Convention Hall south to First Avenue, finishes post-Sandy repairs that had been rescheduled to take place after the summer season ran its course. The repairs will refortify the structural undercarriage of the boardwalk.

Members of the city council were prepared to take a vote Wednesday to open the competitive bid process based on a reconstruction plan that would see traditional methods used, according to City Manager Terence Reidy. But the city engineer’s office is exploring other techniques of reinforcement.

Plans for an “earthen type” boardwalk that would be capped for aesthetics are now under review, said Cunha.

At the Wednesday city council meeting, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA] outlined a plan that would replace the traditional method of driving pilings into the earth with a more solid substructure.

Instead of pilings, a “flowable fill” material would be surrounded by concrete slabs and capped off with southern pine laid on top in the same pattern that currently exists, according to Thomas McDermott, a FEMA mitigation specialist.

The new boardwalk would have “the same type of look with a slightly different feel,” Cunha said.

The new method will see the city save 40% in overall construction costs and because the substructure would be solid, it would increase the fire protection, according to Cunha.

Emergency service vehicles would be able to travel over the boards and it would be more accessible to large crowds. In addition, it offers added fire protection as it would eliminate the “chimney” effect Seaside Park experienced in their recent boardwalk blaze, McDermott said.

Prior to the Bamboozle Festival, a portion of the boardwalk near the north pavilion had to be supported with a solid material so that it would be able to hold the weight of an increased number of people, according to Councilwoman Sue Henderson.

Since that portion of the boardwalk seems to have withstood the winter and Hurricane Sandy, Councilwoman Susan Henderson and Councilman John Loffredo were in favor of bringing the similar method to the southern boardwalk.

“I think the north end of the boardwalk is a clear indication that when they poured that in there for Bamboozle, it didn’t budge,” Henderson said.

Councilman John Moor expressed apprehension in adopting a method that has not been tried and tested.

“I just hate always being the guinea pig,” Moor said. “I wish you could say, ‘Hey, John, 800 boardwalks have done this and it has this much of a success rate’,” he said.

The city council will review the method over the next two weeks and may vote on the process at their next meeting on Oct. 15.

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