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Pennington County Fire Service seeks reserve authority to replace aging cascade air‑fill system
Summary
Fire administrator Jerome Harvey asked the board for spending authority from fire program reserves to replace an aging trailer‑mounted cascade system used to refill firefighters' self‑contained breathing apparatus at incidents. He estimated replacement at $175,000 and said reserves would be drawn down to about $60,000 after the work.
Jerome Harvey, Pennington County fire administrator, told commissioners the fire service board requests spending authority from the county fire fund reserves to replace the county’s cascade air‑fill system, a mobile unit firefighters use to refill self‑contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) at structure and dive responses.
Harvey said the existing cascade trailer has exceeded its useful life, is approaching weight and regulatory limits for safe towing, and requires replacement with a truck‑mounted system better suited for emergency work. He said the cascade also supports water‑rescue divers and high‑pressure air tools and that multiple departments rely on the county system rather than owning their own equipment.
The fire service board’s preliminary estimate for a replacement vehicle and equipment package is roughly $175,000. Harvey said the board will be asking for reserve spending authority and expects that, with the cascade purchase and courthouse communications work, the fire fund reserves would be reduced to about $60,000; commissioners asked for a detailed reserve reconciliation prior to voting on spending authority.
Harvey also asked the board to continue the district and volunteer support the county provides, and reminded commissioners that many county fire departments run on volunteer staffing and that the county‑sponsored workers’‑compensation arrangement had community‑wide benefits. Harvey and board members offered to provide more detailed capital‑replacement planning and timing for board review.
Ending — next steps: Fire administration will provide a detailed cost estimate and a schedule for cascade replacement and related projects, and the county will reconcile assigned reserves so commissioners can consider a budget supplement or reserve draw at a future meeting.
