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Collier County unveils second major incident response vehicle—a refurbished transit bus
Summary
Collier County announced a second major incident response vehicle built from a retired Collier Area Transit bus, funded by grants and partner agencies, to support medical treatment, firefighter rehab, evacuations and mass transport of patients from nursing homes.
Collier County announced the rollout of a second major incident response vehicle, a refurbished Collier Area Transit bus repurposed to support emergency medical care, firefighter rehabilitation and evacuations; the meeting date was not specified.
Staff member, an unnamed Collier County official, said the county built the vehicle through partnerships and grants and that the bus will support partner agencies including EMS, fire services and law enforcement. "Well we're real pleased today to be able to roll out our second major incident response vehicle in Collier County," the official said.
The official said the retired Collier Area Transit bus was refurbished with help from the Federal Highway Administration and that the Florida Department of Prisonsprovided painting and interior work through its heavy equipment shop in Daytona Beach. The Florida Department of Health and the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Group for Emergency Preparedness provided kit support, the official said.
Because the county has over 5,000 beds in nursing homes and medical facilities, the county framed the vehicle as a mass-transportation asset for evacuations and for moving patients in fast-breaking incidents. The official said the buses can also serve as a treat-and-release platform at major events and a rehab area for firefighters at large fires.
Funding for both the first and second vehicles came from grants and partner support, the official said; Collier County's direct ongoing cost is limited to maintenance and repair and the purchase of two-way radio equipment installed in the bus. The official added that similar vehicles exist in nearby jurisdictions, naming Okeechobee County as having a comparable asset, and said the vehicle expands local, regional and statewide mutual-aid capability.
No formal vote or ordinance was discussed or recorded in the meeting transcript provided. Details on when or where the vehicle will be deployed were not specified.
