Northwest Homeland Security approves new hauler and UTV placement; Ellis County set to house regional assets

Ellis County emergency‑management staff briefed commissioners on multiple Northwest Homeland Security projects the region recently approved. The regional council authorized funding for a prime hauler to accompany the county's water‑supply trailer and approved placement of a new UTV in Ellis County as a Northwest regional asset.

Assistant Emergency Manager (and fire/emergency staff) Lau Pantle told commissioners the county’s 3,500‑gallon water‑supply trailer has been used on local incidents and that the crowning improvement would be a purpose‑built prime hauler equipped with a pullout tray, lighting, PA and other field equipment. Pantle said the current vehicle used for the trailer is a 2008 Chevy 3500 previously owned by Hays Fire, and that once the new truck arrives the older vehicle would be reassigned to Company 8 in Rooks County for use there as a brush/response vehicle.

The Homeland Security Council also approved placing a new Polaris Ranger Northstar XP 1000 crew UTV in Ellis County. Pantle said the UTV will be equipped with a firefighting/EMS skid unit, lights, an 800‑MHz radio programmed with the state template and a trailer for transport. The county will retain a forestry‑service‑donated UTV for local needs and keep the older John Deere Gator units in rotation or reassign them regionally rather than selling them.

Pantle said the regional funding process is administered through the Kansas Highway Patrol and the state’s regional councils; projects must meet federal/state criteria and are often procured through state contracts or regional project managers. He described the county’s responsibilities under the transfer agreement: Ellis County will house and maintain the equipment, insure it and obtain Homeland Security approval before disposing of any regional asset.

"We currently house that at Ellis County, and we've been trying since the completion of that project to get a prime hauler for it," Pantle told commissioners. "The Homeland Security Council has approved the placement of a new UTV in Ellis County, and the old one has been approved to go up to Rooks County."

Commissioners were briefed on deployment mechanics: assets are available regionally through mutual aid and state deployment processes (CRMCS) and can be sent to other counties during large incidents; reimbursement may be available for certain deployments. Staff said some items—like radios and templates—are procured under state contracts and counties have limited ability to select specific models outside those processes.