Dunn County committee hears possible countywide fire/EMS solutions; staff report spots IRS error affecting child support

DUNN COUNTY — Committee members discussed a potential countywide approach to support volunteer fire and emergency medical services and heard staff reports on an IRS error affecting child-support intercepts during the Judicial and Law Committee meeting.

The committee’s most substantial discussion centered on emergency management and a recent grant application aimed at replacing or upgrading legacy communications equipment and addressing gaps in volunteer fire and EMS coverage. Director Gillenbach said the county submitted a grant seeking equipment to maintain the local ‘‘legacy system’’ and noted the work could support longer-term study of whether some services should shift from local volunteer control to a countywide model.

The county’s emergency management presentation referenced a recent carbon monoxide call in the village of Elk Mound where the volunteer department did not respond and the county paged the next-closest agency, Menominee Fire, to respond. Director Gillenbach said the incident highlighted staffing limits at small volunteer departments and that a consultant hired by the town of Elk Mound has been studying options. ‘‘It could be…