Council approves application for Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant to replace vehicle stabilization equipment

The Oak Harbor Fire Department will apply for a Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation grant to replace its vehicle-stabilization equipment, the council approved Jan. 7. Grants administrator Wendy Horn said the department intends to request $23,000 for a highway vehicle stabilization kit (airlifting bag kit and struts); no local match is required.

Operational need: Fire staff told council that the department’s airbags—the large lifting bags used to safely raise vehicles during extrications—had expired; the newest bag had expired about six years earlier. A chief described the bags as reusable, rated to lift up to about 20 tons each, and said they typically last about 15 years. The bags and struts are used to stabilize overturned or crushed vehicles to free trapped occupants.

Grant details and council action: The grant program typically awards between $15,000 and $25,000, with a maximum listed around $45,000. The application window opens Jan. 9 and the program limits submissions to the first 600 applications each quarter; staff said they will submit early. Council Member Stuckey moved and Council Member Marshall seconded a motion to approve submission of the application; the council voted unanimously to proceed.

Next steps: Staff will submit the grant application and, if awarded, coordinate purchase and training for the vehicle-stabilization kit.