Marshall County approves $50,000 reimbursement for North Township Fire Department air packs

Marshall County commissioners approved a $50,000 reimbursement to the North Township Fire Department to cover part of a purchase of replacement self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and bottles.

Matthew Haskins, identified in the meeting as fire chief of North Township Fire Department, said the department’s air packs were 16 to 20 years old, some failing flow and personal alert safety tests. The replacement purchase covers 20 air packs plus bottles and spare bottles; new packs include 45-minute bottles rather than the department’s older 30-minute bottles and have improved ergonomics and lower battery/maintenance needs. "We felt it was a better option to go ahead and replace aging air packs as opposed to spending a bunch of money on new air bottles for aging air packs," Haskins said.

Commissioners said the request aligns with prior discussions about public-safety funding without raising taxes and expressed support for firefighters. The transcript records a motion to approve the reimbursement; the board voted by voice and recorded the motion as carried.

Why it matters: SCBA gear is frontline safety equipment for firefighters; the county’s one-time reimbursement offsets capital cost for North Township and updates life-safety equipment used in emergency response.

The motion to reimburse up to $50,000 passed by voice vote; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally.