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Sherman County clears funds for ambulance fuel‑tank upgrades, AC electrical hookup and other EMS items
Summary
Commissioners approved buying three larger fuel tanks for county transit ambulances to reduce mid‑trip refueling and improve patient transport reliability, approved electrical hookup work for a new ambulance‑bay air conditioner, and cleared a package of carryover purchases pending auditor approval.
Sherman County commissioners on Feb. 10 approved the purchase and installation of three larger auxiliary fuel tanks for ambulance transits, voted to pay electricians to complete an air‑conditioning hookup in the ambulance bay, and approved a motion to spend remaining carryover funds on several emergency‑operations items pending auditor confirmation.
Captain Ross, who had researched the fuel‑tank option, told commissioners the county’s transits average about 13 miles per gallon in normal conditions but can drop to as low as 6–8 mpg in heavy wind. The transit vehicles currently have 25‑gallon tanks that provide about a 200‑mile range at low efficiency, Ross said. He recommended a 45‑gallon bolt‑in tank kit that would increase worst‑case range to about 270 miles at 6 mpg and to more than 500 miles at the typical 13 mpg.
Cost and procurement The board approved purchasing three kits — one for each transit (Med 1, Med 2 and Med 3) — at a total of $8,447.10. Commissioners said installation will be performed locally at the county shop.
AC electrical hookup County staff reported the ambulance‑bay AC unit had been installed but its high‑voltage electrical hookup had not been included in the original vendor quote. The board approved $2,832.32 to run required 208V/240V lines and complete the electrical work so that the unit can operate.
Carryover purchases and budget handling Earlier in the meeting, staff presented a list of items proposed to be paid from carryover funds, totaling roughly $386 (presenters said that was the wishlist sum) while carryover remaining was shown near $40,000. The board voted to approve purchases from the carryover balance but added a condition that the county auditor confirm there is adequate budget authority; commissioners also discussed using the county’s “thirteenth month” reporting window to allocate expenses across fiscal reporting periods.
Operational rationale Commissioners and fire/EMS staff emphasized patient safety and operational efficiency as primary reasons for the purchases — avoiding refueling stops during long transfers reduces the risk of running out of fuel while transporting patients and shortens turnaround time for crews.
Next steps Staff will arrange installation of the tanks at the county shop and schedule the electrician work for the ambulance bay once procurement paperwork is finalized. The carryover purchases can proceed after auditor confirmation.
