Klamath County approves mobile command vehicle purchase for search and rescue

Klamath County commissioners on Feb. 18 approved the purchase of a 2026 Northstar 180-5 mobile command vehicle for the sheriff's office search-and-rescue division, authorizing the county to sign a quote with Braun Northwest Inc. and to encumber up to $258,045 from the sheriff's search-and-rescue donations fund.

The vehicle was presented to the board by Sergeant Towery, Klamath County search-and-rescue coordinator, who said the county had the donation funds on hand and had worked with Braun Northwest on the build. Towery said the vehicle includes a pneumatic tower and space to deploy Starlink and radio antennas so the vehicle can provide communications and command functions in remote areas without cell coverage.

Commissioner Minty said the vehicle will replace improvised arrangements used previously and called it a 'force multiplier' for search-and-rescue operations. Ian Bacon, Klamath County emergency manager, and several county employees who were recognized earlier in the meeting also spoke in support of the item.

The motion approved by the board authorized the sheriff's office to accept the quote and sign the purchase contract with Braun Northwest Inc.; it specified encumberment in budget year 2425 and limited the county's fiscal exposure for purchase and outfitting to not exceed $258,045. The transcript records that the funds for the vehicle were donated earlier; Sergeant Towery said the original donation amount was $250,000 and that additional equipment (the pneumatic tower and air compressor) increased the total cost to the figure presented to the board.

The board's approval was recorded as an affirmative vote by the chair and by other commissioners, and the motion passed.

The county did not provide an exact delivery date in the meeting. Implementation responsibility for outfitting and operation was described as the Klamath County sheriff's office search-and-rescue division.